Softening The Hard Heart
by Boo112
Summary: 15 Year-Old Peter is a tough-guy to crack...But there is one-girl who is the same-age as him who knows exactly how to handle the trouble-some lad...Better than any-old teacher ever could anyway...
1. Chapter 1

_**So I'll continue to update "Moving Forwards" but ever since I wrote "The New Kid" I have really missed writing about a younger Peter & Carla. – However, in the New Kid, they were 17 & 18. – So I thought I'd take them back even-further with this new-fic "Softening a hard-heart." **_

_**So in this Fic, both Carla and Peter are 15. – Young enough to be almost innocent but old enough to cause some fictional mayhem! I hope you enjoy this opening chapter! (:**_

* * *

Peter and Carla had been friends for years now, they had first met in Primary School, when they were both just 8 Years Old, and despite their differences, they had clicked right from the very off and had been the best of friends ever since.

Peter Barlow was the kid that everyone feared throughout Weatherfield High. He was a bully, and a rude and violent one at that. He walked through school with scuffed trainers on, his school tie was loosened and his shirt was untucked and could be seen over flowing the bottom of his school jumper. He carried his small rucksack on his back, although it was hardly full, infact, apart from the odd pen and a packet of crisps, it was virtually empty. And you could almost guarantee that Peter would always be chewing some chewing-gum as he wandered-around the school like he owned the place.

However, there was one person, who could soften this tough boy. And that was Carla Donovan. Peter's best and oldest mate. Carla had long and flowing black hair and many of the boys at school stared at her as she walked past, but she barely battered an eye-lid at all of this male-attention that she was receiving. To Carla, life was just for getting through and surviving, and as-long as that happened, then she didn't really care what else was happening around-her…..Apart from Peter that was. She had to be there for Peter to keep him out of trouble…..Well…..To keep him out of prison infact…..

* * *

Peter had been getting irritated by this younger-kid by the name of Timmy. He was always out to get on Peter's nerves and just to find-out what would make Peter tick so that he could get him into trouble. That morning, whilst walking through the corridors, Timmy just got too much for Peter to handle any-longer. And he ended-up pinning Timmy-up against the nearest-wall in the very-same corridor. "You're asking for a punch you are you little….." Peter trailed-off as he raised his fist back ready to punch Timmy if he needed-it.

"I'm sorry." Timmy cried as Carla came running-over. "Peter put him down." Carla ordered-him, and as if by magic, Timmy was allowed to go free by Peter and scurried-off along the corridor in fear of the older-teenager.

"What was all of that about?!" Carla asked-him as she led-him down the corridor towards their form-room together.

"Well ya know…..Someone's gotta show him who's the boss of this place….." Peter joked with a smirk, making Carla smile at him in return.

"Oh and who's that then?!" Carla nudged him teasingly.

"Well who do you think it is Car?!" He asked her with the smirk still on his face.

"Oh I dunno…..Mr Smith…..I mean he's only the head-master of this glorified dump of a school….." Carla trailed-off as they entered the form-room together and then sat-themselves down next to each-other.

* * *

"Good Morning you two. It's unlike you to be so late for form-time Carla. Was Mr Barlow here giving you grief?!" Mrs Austin asked Carla.

"No actually Miss….." Carla replied politely.

"Okay then as long as you're sure. Peter Barlow, you are late…..Once Again!" Mrs Austin told-him disapprovingly.

"And you're moaning at me…..Once Again!" Peter answered back rudely with a fed-up sigh.

"Don't take that tone with me Mr Barlow or I'll be writing a letter home!" The strict teacher warned-him.

"A letter home?! I'm sorry but I wouldn't call _that place _a home. It's just where I sleep. Same as the rest of the kids that stay there. Peter Barlow infact lived in a Foster-Home. And the troublesome teen was going through a rough-patch at the moment.

* * *

Form-time was soon over and Peter and Carla scuffled out of the classroom together as they headed-towards their first-lesson, which was Maths. "Has something happened with Betty and Charlie recently?!" Carla asked Peter worriedly. Betty and Charlie were Peter's Foster-carers, and it was safe to say that Peter didn't exactly like-them.

"Nothing that you need to go worrying yourself about." Peter sighed.

"Too late for that ya muppet. Come-On just tells-me. You do trust me don't ya?!" Carla asked-in her strongly Northern-Accent.

"Of-Course I do. I just don't wanna tell you yet so shove-off alright?!" He told her, ever-so slightly frustratedley now.

"Alright Mister! No need to get all feisty. This is ME you're talking to remember. Your best-mate?!" Carla told-him and he just looked-at Carla.

"It's nothing I can't handle okay?!" He replied a little-more softly towards Carla this-time around and he just nodded-at him with a smile.

* * *

"OY! Barlow! I hear you've been picking on my little-brother!" James suddenly shouted from across the corridor. Peter and Carla continued to walk out through to the court-yard and James just followed-them. James was three years older than both Peter and Carla.

"And so what if I have?!" Peter answered-back. "Don't tell me the pathetic little-kid has been running to his older-brother to help him?! 'Cos if he has then he's in for it later-on!" He told James, putting on the hard-act as a crowd of rowdy teenagers gathered-around and Carla could do nothing but just watch-on as she watched her troubled-best-friend dig himself into a hole yet again.

"No-One picks on Timmy you idiot!" James replied threateningly, getting-up in Peter's face as he did-so.

"Yeah well I do! So what're you gonna do about it?!" A Cocky-Peter asked the sixth-former.

"This!" James replied with gritted-teeth before he then punched Peter in the nose, causing Peter to swing a punch back at James, landing his fist right-onto James' jaw. A full-on brawl was just about to begin when a teacher appeared to break the crowd-up. And Peter just sighed to himself in anger as he saw which teacher it was. Mrs Austin. The teacher who seemed to have it in for him lately. "That's quite enough of that lads. James. Go and wait in my classroom please. Peter, I will be seeing you after-school for a detention and a stern-warning! Carla, I trust you'll see that he gets there on-time and in once-piece preferably!" The teacher requested to Carla, who nodded before approaching Peter as the teacher then wandered-off.

Peter laughed as he held his hand over his nose, trying to catch the blood that was falling from the nose-bleed that James' Firm-Punch had caused him to have. "This isn't funny Peter!" Carla told-him firmly as she then handed-him a tissue. Peter held the tissue around his bleeding-nose as he then spoke to Carla.

"Yes it is Car. He thinks he's hard. Well he may have given me a nose-bleed…..But the next-time I manage to get my hands on him…..He'll have more than just an achey jaw that's for sure!" Peter said with an evil smirk.

"Peter will you just stop-this whole act for just a second?! You really freak-me out when you're like this!" Carla told-him worriedly, and Peter could see the look of concern that had appeared-on Carla's face and just sighed. He felt bad for her when she gave-him that look.

"I'm sorry Car. He just winds me up that's all…..Friends?!" He asked with his puppy-eyed look that he knew won Carla over every-single-time.

"We never weren't friends ya loony!" Carla joked with him as she giggled slightly as she watched him try, but then fail, to stem the blood-flow that was coming from his nose. "Oh come-here." She said, taking the tissue from him and wrapping-it around the bottom of his nose properly so that no more blood could escape past where the tissue was placed. "Now hold-it right-there until the nose-bleed has finished and don't even think of trying to move-it! Okay?!" She ordered-him and he did as he was told. "Thanks….." He trailed-off with as he shot a grateful-smile in Carla's direction.

* * *

After school that day, Carla and Peter both met-up again at the school-gates. "So are you going to this detention then?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"Silly Question." Peter replied and Carla just laughed at him.

"I'll take that as a no then….." She trailed-off, as they began to walk-home together. Carla had walked Peter back to his foster-home ever-since that night a couple of years back when he had tried-to run-away because everything had become just too-much for the poor-kid. Luckily, Carla had found-him hiding-out in the doorway of a Local-Corner-Shop and had taken-him back to hers for the night.

Peter pulled-out a packet of fags and a lighter as they walked-together. "Uh, excuse-me Mister, but where an earth did you get them from?!" Carla asked-him.

"Some older kid in sixth-form was giving them away…..Can't do any harm….."

"Or maybe they could!" Carla argued back.

"Hey they calm-me down okay?! And besides…..It's just one packet! I'll stop afterwards….."

"Yeah that's what you think!" Carla told-him sternly.

* * *

When they reached the Foster-Home, Carla could hear shouting coming from indoors. "What's going-on in there?!" She asked Peter-head. "Betty & Charlie have been at logger-heads for months now…..Talk is that one of them is gonna walk-out on the other eventually….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"Well maybe that wouldn't be such a bad-thing….." Carla told Peter positively as they stood-up at the bottom of the driveway together.

"For Betty and Charlie maybe it wouldn't…..But if one of them leaves then some of us will have to leave too….." Peter revealed to Carla sadly.

"Why?" Carla asked-him simply.

"'Cause one person can only look-after so many Foster-Kids at once…..And I'm virtually the oldest in the house apart from one-other kid…..And if they're gonna move anyone then it's gonna be the older-kids isn't it?! Because let's face-it Carla…..They're not gonna want to un-settle the little-kids are they?!" Peter said as he pulled-out yet another fag.

"Oh Peter I'm sorry…..Surely they won't move ya far-away?! I mean…..Will They?! Is that what has been bothering you today?! I mean, I thought you hated Weatherfield?!" Carla asked-him.

"I do…..But all of my mates are here…..I mean, it's where I grew-up Carla…..And you're here too…..I don't know what I'd do without you…..You're My Best-Mate." Peter said as he took Carla's hand with his spare-hand and then squeezed-it briefly before he then let-go of it again almost straight-away.

"Yes I Am…..And I'm telling you to throw those fags away. Now!" She warned-him softly and Peter just chuckled. "Whatever Car….." He said as he lit the fag-up once-again and popped the end of it into his mouth. "Cya tomorrow yeah?!" The troublesome-kid told his best-friend as she began to wander-off.

"You will do. But in the meantime…..Take-Care Yeah?! And stay out of trouble! Ya little-thug!" Carla teased-him before she then disappeared-off around the corner. Carla really did look-out of Peter and he really did appreciate all of her support. But if he did have to move-away to another Foster-Home…..Then Peter didn't know how he'd be able to cope without Carla…..

* * *

Peter finished his fag and then hid the packet-and the lighter-away into his rucksack as he threw the used-cigarette to the ground, stamping-it out before he then headed-inside to the mass of arguments that were happening all around the Big-Foster-House. Peter just ran straight-up to his bedroom and then slammed the door shut behind-him. He plugged his ear-phones into his Ipod, put them into his ears, and then turned the volume-up as he lay on his bed and then shut his eyes, in hope that this would all just go-away for just a little-while.

* * *

_**Please-Review! - And let-me-know what you think! (:**_


	2. Chapter 2

The next-morning, Carla went to meet Peter at their usual meeting spot by the Corner-Shop, but was surprised to find that he wasn't there, and he never turned-up. This left Carla worried so she decided to text Peter.

_**Carla: OY! Where did U get 2 this-mornings?! I wuz waiting 4 ya! **_

But there was no-reply from Peter, which was rather unusual for him so she just headed-to school in hope that she would find-him there. As she approached the crowds of teenagers, she could just about make-out the back of Peter in the distance, so she pushed through the crowds in attempt to try and catch herself up with just a little-bit.

* * *

"PETER!" She called-loudly when the crowds eventually began to disappear. "Peter!" She repeated a little-more-quietly this-time-around as she got close to the guy.

"Oh just go away Carla!" He told-her angrily.

"I'm sorry. Ya what?!" She replied, noticing the bruise that was forming on his cheek. He had obviously been scrapping-again.

"Oh I'm sorry, did you not hear me the first-time I spoke?! I said GO AWAY!" He shouted at her, which worried Carla, why was he being so rude to her of all people.

"Well No I Won't!" Carla refused as she stood-herself firmly infront of Peter. – And she was point-blank refusing to get out of his way as he tried (And Failed) to walk-barge-and push his-way-past-her.

After several failed-attempts at getting past Carla, Peter was beginning to get angry now.

"ARGH WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU WOMAN?!" He shouted at her and then pushed her backwards, shocking-Carla. He really had-it on him this-morning, and Carla was worried that if she couldn't calm-him-down then no-one-else would be able to. And that meant trouble as far as poor-Peter was concerned.

"Urm nothing's wrong with ME, Peter! Perhaps you should take a little-look at yourself this-morning!" Carla told-him firmly.

"Right. So what do I have to do for you to just leave-me alone today?!" Peter asked-her a little-more-calmly this-time-around, but still in a rude-manner.

"You need to tell-me what's going-on Peter!" Carla told-him bluntly.

"I can't….." He finally began to soften his tone of voice with a tired-sigh. "I wouldn't even know what to say to you….." He told-her sadly.

"Well where you got that nasty bruise on your cheek from might be a good-start?!" She asked-him both quietly and softly.

"I got your text by the way Car…..The reason I couldn't meet ya this-morning was because I was just ever-so slightly busy beating-up Timmy…..I'm afraid he caught the receiving end of one of my punches this morning…..But then big-brother James came-along to rescue him…..And that's where this bruise came-from….." Peter trailed-off, referring to the nasty-looking bruise on his cheek-bone as he pointed-to-it with his right-index-finger.

"Right…..So that explains the cuts and bruises…..But what then made you decide that Timmy was your next-punching-target?!" Carla asked-him bluntly.

"Betty & Charlie…..They caught me smoking in my room last-night and they kicked-off…..They said if they catch-me doing-it again then I'll be chucked-out….." Peter told Carla truthfully.

"And I agree with them you idiot!" Carla told-him as they walked-towards their form-room together. Where the dreaded Mrs Austin was awaiting-both of their arrivals.

* * *

"So Then. - Together again are we you two? And you're both late. Carla, I do hope you're not allowing Peter to affect your good-record?! And as for you Peter, well seeing as you chose not to turn-up to your detention last-night, I'll be moving-it to tonight…..And you WILL attend. Do I make myself clear?!" Mrs Austin warned the boy.

All of a sudden, Peter snapped and then slammed his fist-down against the table. "And you're pushing your luck. Do I make MYself clear?!" Peter asked the strict-teacher with gritted-teeth as Carla tugged at his arm to bring-him back to Planet-Earth for just a second or two. "Peter calm-down!" She told-him and he looked-at Carla before he then sat-himself-back-down next to her.

Towards the end of form-time, the class were allowed to chat-amongst themselves, so Carla used this opportunity to continue to probe Peter. "What was all of that about?! Peter! You're gonna get yourself expelled if you're not careful!" Carla told-him firmly as he chewed on his chewing-gum.

"And who are you my Mother?! Oh wait, I don't have one!" Peter replied to Carla, but she then just shot him one of her warning-glares which instantly made Peter shut-up.

"I'm just trying to help you out here Peter." She told-him calmly as she placed her hand over Peter's and gently squeezed-it. "Not everyone's your enemy ya know?! Ya don't have to fight the whole world."

Peter sighed as he tried to calm-himself down a little-bit. "I know. And I'm sorry if I take everything-out on you Carla…..Things are just tough at the moment that's all…..All I ever hear at that stupid Foster home are arguments, arguments and more arguments! And I've had enough of it Car! I really have!" He told his best-mate in complete and utter confidence, beginning to get tearful as he did-so. He could trust Carla with his whole-life, and Peter knew-that.

Carla watched her best-friend as he struggled to fight back the tears. She sighed in sympathy for him. "Oh Peter. Look at you. You're a mess. Why don't you come back to mine after that detention tonight huh?! That way you can sort-yourself out…..And plus you won't have to deal with any more arguments….." Carla offered to Peter and he nodded-at Carla as the first-few-tears then fell-down from his eyes and then down onto his cheeks.

"I'd like that. Thank-You." He told her whilst he continued to try and not to cry, but he was failing to do so as he wiped the tears away with the sleeve of his school-jumper, soaking-it in the process.

* * *

Carla was just about to hug Peter, when one of James' friends, Kyle, who was also 15 and in the same tutor-group as both Peter and Carla, came-over and laughed at Peter in the face. "Is The Barlow Boy Crying?! Why are crying you idiot?! Only girls cry!" He teased Peter, and Carla didn't like the direction in which this was heading. "Stop Crying You Cry-Baby!" Kyle teased Peter as he shoved-him further back into his chair by his shoulders.

"Just Leave-Me Alone Kyle." Peter warned Kyle quietly through his tears.

"Only when you stop crying Barlow!" Kyle replied to him nastily.

"Did you not listen to a word that he just said?!" Carla answered-back to Kyle angrily.

"Nope! I don't listen to cry-babies!" Kyle continued to push his luck with both Carla and Peter.

"I won't tell you again Kyle! Leave-Me Alone." Peter warned-him once-more.

"NO!" Kyle shouted-back aggressively at Peter.

"I Said! LEAVE. ME. ALONE!" Peter screamed at the kid before he then punched Kyle in the face, making him fall to the ground in total-agony just from the pure-force of Peter's punch.

* * *

Mrs Austin quickly dismissed the rest of the class as she spoke to Peter, who was breathing heavily as he seethed with anger. Carla stood by Peter's side the whole-time. Kyle had been sent-off with a friend to get checked-out by one of the school's first-aid-trained-staff.

"I'm sorry Miss, but he was winding-me-up!" Peter told the teacher truthfully.

"It's true Miss. Kyle was trying to provoke a reaction out of Peter the whole-time!" Carla told Mrs Austin, knowing that the teacher trusted-her and would-be more-likely to believe-her than she would Peter or Kyle.

"Winding you up he may have been Mr Barlow. But that still didn't give you right to punch him did it?!" Mrs Austin told Peter calmly, seeing that he was clearly upset, which wasn't the usual behaviour that was shown by Peter Barlow when he was at school.

"Yeah I know that….." Peter trailed-off both sadly and tearfully as he sniffled-some extra-tears away so that Mrs Austin wouldn't see him crying.

"Right well I can see that you're upset Peter, so I'll leave the both of you alone in here so that you can sort yourself-out. There's no-class in here this-morning so you won't be disturbed. Remember I'll be seeing you in detention Mr Barlow?!" The teacher softly reminded a still tearful Peter before she then quietly left the room, slipping-out as quietly as a mouse as she left the two-close-friends to talk for just a little-while-longer than they previously had been in form-time.

"Come-Here." Carla whispered to Peter as she hugged her friend tightly. "Kyle's right. I'm just an idiot. I mean, why the heck am I crying Carla?! I'm Peter Barlow, I don't cry!" Peter asked Carla as the tears returned once-again. "It's okay to cry every-now and then again ya know?! Especially what with everything that you're going through at the moment. It can't be easy for ya Peter." Carla told-him as she released him from the hug.

* * *

_**Detention. **_

Peter quietly sat in the classroom doodling on a scrap bit of paper as he waited for Mrs Austin to tell-him what to do. She walked-over to him and swiftly confiscated the pen and the scrap bit of paper. Peter just looked-up at the teacher.

"I was using that. What do you want with me anyway?!" He asked-her bluntly.

"I don't care Mr Barlow. And I just need to speak to you. That's All." She told-him as she pulled-up a chair so that she could sit opposite-Peter, just across the desk from him.

"I need to know what it was that made you cry earlier?!" Mrs Austin softly questioned Peter, but there was no-way that he was going to open-up to a teacher of all people. The barriers came-up once-again as Peter's 'hard-act' returned.

"I didn't cry! They were tears of happiness Miss, after the satisfaction of punching Kyle in the gob!" Peter smirked, even-though it killed-him deep-inside.

"Don't give me all of that nonsense Peter! I can see right through this act of yours that you seem to put-on. I have done since Day One." Mrs Austin told-him truthfully.

"Oh well aren't you clever!" Peter replied-with sarcastically.

"Is something going-on at the Foster-Home?!" She asked-him sensitively.

"No! Shut-Up!" He responded-with defensively.

"Peter if there is, then you need to tell-me. I can help. I can make-sure that it doesn't affect your grades in the exams! You've got some important GCSE's coming-up next-year remember Mr Barlow!" Mrs Austin warned-him and Peter just sighed.

"Well this is just a thrilling-conversation isn't it?! I mean, I don't think I've heard anything as exciting as this in the whole of my sad-little-life!" Peter told Mrs Austin as he then rolled-his-eyes at her.

* * *

Once detention had finished, Peter then headed straight-over to Carla's.

"Hey You." Carla said as she answered the door. "Come-On-In."

"Thanks." He said as he walked through to Carla's living-room, where her little brother Rob was sat on the sofa watching TV. "Hiya Rob." He said quietly as he them sat-himself down into the chair.

"Do Betty & Charlie know that you're here?!" Carla asked Peter as she then walked-into the living-room herself.

"Do you think I'd be here if they did?! They barely even give me the space to breathe sometimes Car!" Peter said angrily.

"Alright, well don't you think that you should let them know?! I mean…..Won't they be worried about ya?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"They won't be worried about me…..They'll be too busy arguing to notice that I've even gone….." Peter began as Carla cut-in.

"Rob, can you go and watch the tele in your bedroom for a bit?! Me and Peter need to talk." Carla asked Rob softly, and he nodded before he then headed-upstairs towards his own bedroom. She didn't want Rob to hear any-more of this as Peter continued to talk to Carla. Both Carla's Mother and Father were at work at the moment until late, so Peter & Carla could-be undisturbed as they chatted-alone-together once-again for about the third-time that day.

"And besides, if I tell-them where I am then they will tell-me to go back to that place…..And I could do without the hassle from them thanks very much….. All that shouting, it gives me a headache!" Peter told Carla truthfully, and Carla could see that things must be tough for Peter back-at the Foster Home at the moment.

"Oh Peter….." She began sympathetically. "You need to get this sorted-out….." She told-him reasonably. For a 15 Year-Old, Carla was very-mature for her age and she was good at sorting-all-of Peter's problems out for him, but it was about-time that Peter began to sort all of his own-personal-problems out.

"I know I do…..Man it's times like today when I really miss my Mum & Dad….." Peter told Carla, suddenly sounding very vulnerable to Carla. This vulnerable-side to Peter was a side of him which Carla had only seen a couple of times before, but never like this…..And never this much…..Peter's parents had both died in an awful coach-crash when Peter was just 9. Peter was involved too, but he got away with just a few-bumps and scrapes. And Carla had supported-him all the way through his grief and the troubles he faced when he first moved-into the Foster-Home with Betty & Charlie both then caring for him.

"Do you remember much about them before the crash?! I mean your parents…..What can you remember?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"Of-Course I can remember them Carla…..And I remember everything about them…..I remember that they really liked-you." Peter told Carla with a small and shy smile.

"Did they?!" She asked-him sweetly, returning the smile back-at-him.

"Yeah. They thought that you were good for me…..Betty & Charlie couldn't careless who I make friends with….." Peter trailed-off sadly as he then put his head into his hands.

"Hey I'm sure that's not true Peter." Carla replied to the troubled-kid as she put her hand onto the back of her best and oldest-friend and then gently-rubbed-it in soothing-circles as she tried-to comfort an obviously upset Peter. Carla felt proud of herself that she was one of the few-people who Peter would show the real-him too. She just wished that he would be this soft more often, and around other-people, because once you broke-down the barriers that Peter had built-up over-time, he was actually a really kind and loving person. Carla decided there and then that she would make-it her mission to find the real Peter and force-it out of him. The Peter that the poor-kid seemed to be afraid to bring-out most of the time.

* * *

_**So! That was a long-old-chapter, but I hope you enjoyed-it never-the-less. Please-Review! (:**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Thanks for all of the reviews! – They really do mean a lot! - Keep them coming pretty please?!**_

* * *

Peter awoke the next morning on the sofa in Carla's living-room. Carla's parents had both arrived-home from work last-night, and they were surprised to find that Peter was still at their house, but they didn't have a problem with him staying-over. They had known Peter for as-long as Carla had and they were both good-friends with his parents when they were still-alive. They had chucked a blanket over Peter as he was asleep when they had arrived-home, hoping that-that would keep-him warm-enough, for the night at-least.

Carla's Mum came and shook the boy's shoulders in-order to wake-him-up as Carla appeared downstairs in her pink and fluffy dressing-gown.

"Peter….." Her Mum softly called his name as she crouched-down on the floor infront of him and then carefully and gently shook his shoulders again. Peter's eyes slowly opened and he then rubbed his eyes in attempt to wake-himself-up a little-bit.

"Urm…..Morning Mrs Donavan." He quietly replied in a polite-way.

"Good Morning Sweetheart. Can I get you some breakfast?!" She kindly asked-him.

"No thanks, I'll manage without." He replied, making Carla interrupt-him.

"You've gotta have something Peter." She told-him softly as she went and sat-down next to him, and Peter moved his legs out-of the way so she could do-so.

Carla's Parents then disappeared-off upstairs so that they could go and get Rob sorted-out and all-ready for school in time. This left Carla & Peter with some-time alone to chat together. "I don't feel like breakfast. Not this morning." He told Carla truthfully.

"Okay, well do you wanna pop-back-to the Foster-Home and put another school-shirt on, you've been in that one all night?!" She asked Peter softly.

"No Carla I'm fine. It's not like I have another school shirt anyway…..Couldn't afford another one of these things….." He sighed. "Just get yourself washed and dressed and then we'll go okay?!" Peter told-her tiredly.

"Okay then." Carla agreed, she wasn't going to argue with him. Not Today. And definitely not after yesterday. Of All Days.

* * *

When Carla went back upstairs again, Peter grabbed his rucksack and then briefly popped-outside as he grabbed the packet of fags and the lighter that was still in his bag from the other-day. He coughed slightly as he inhaled some of the smoke before he then exhaled-it and closed his eyes as he leaned-his head-back against the wall, instantly feeling the relaxation that he thought having a fag gave-him.

"There you are." Carla said as she appeared in the doorway, now fully-dressed-in her school-uniform. "I thought you'd done a runner." She continued as she shut the front door behind-her and then approached Peter. "Ya know my Dad will kick-off if he sees ya smoking, especially on his turf! He can't stand smokers. Says there dirty and smelly. And he's not wrong you stink of smoke!" Carla told Peter jokingly, but softly and truthfully.

"I've got some Lynx in my bag…..I'll have some chewing-gum then he won't know a thing. Besides it helps….." Peter trailed-off.

"Helps with what?! Wrecking your lungs?! 'Cause that's exactly what it's doing ya know….." Carla told Peter and he just rolled his eyes at her.

"You sound like Betty did when she caught-me the other-day! Just leave-off it will ya Carla?! 'Cause the truth-is, is that the more ya hassle me, the more stressed-out I'll get, and then the more likely I am to need another fag….."

"Want not Need."

"Carla….." Peter warned-her and she just smiled at him sweetly.

"Okay, I'll shut-up." She replied to him.

"Good." He said with a cheeky-smile that Carla loved seeing on Peter.

* * *

The pair of them eventually got themselves to school, but Carla had to go and talk to another teacher about some coursework that she had been working hard-on, so Peter was left-alone for a little-while.

"Alright Barlow?!" Asked the familiar-voice of James, who was accompanied by his friend Kyle and three other-lads of varying-ages as they approached Peter altogether. But most of them were older and bigger than Peter.

"What do you want James?!" Peter asked James, instantly feeling himself getting angry as the group of 5 Lads drew closer and closer to Peter.

"Well, yesterday, I do believe that you punched my friend Kyle here…..And you don't just go and do that to one-of my friends without getting some revenge Mate!" James told Peter in a rather-conniving-way.

"I'm not your Mate!" Peter snapped back at the older and cockier-lad.

"Oh now that's not very-nice! Is it now Peter?! Did your Parents not bring you up to be nice to your fellow class-mates?! Oh wait, I forgot, you're a Foster Kid aren't you?!" James replied-to-him with an evil-sarcasm.

"Don't you dare bring my Parents into this James! I loved them when they were alive and I still love them now and I always will! Besides, why should I be nice to you?! You're an Idiot!" Peter asked James aggressively as he pushed-him backwards in pure-hatred for the kid.

"Well I could always show you why you should be nice to me?! Infact, yeah, let's do that shall-we Lads?!" James requested to the other-boys that surrounded-him. Two of the lads then went and twisted and trapped-both of Peter's arms behind his back.

"GET OFF OF ME! Unless you've got a death-wish!" Peter shouted as he struggled-in their strong-grip. James was just about ready to give Peter a very nasty beating-up, when a teacher walked-by. A teacher that was none-other than Mrs Austin.

* * *

"Now Now Lads. Play nicely now!" She said calmly as the two-lads then released their grip on Peter at the sound of the teacher's voice, and he shoved them away from him. "Mr Barlow, can I have a word please?!" The teacher asked Peter. "In Private….." She added-so that the other-lads would go-away.

"This isn't over." James muttered to Peter with gritted-teeth, before he then walked-off, with the other-lads in tow.

Peter breathed-out deeply, just ever-so slightly relieved that Mrs Austin had arrived-on the scene when she had-done. She had just possibly saved-him from a very-nasty-fight that would have been those 5 Lads, against Peter…..James being the Leader of them all, with Kyle following closely behind-him. "Have they been giving-you some grief Peter?! Because if they have, then I can help." Mrs Austin said as they walked to the Lady's classroom together ready for Form-Time, where Peter would see Carla again.

"No Offence Miss, but I think that you would just make things worse…..Not better….." Peter told the teacher, calmly for a change. The encounter with James and his Mates had shaken Peter up slightly. So-much-so that he was actually physically-shaking-now.

"Okay. If you say so Peter. But I just want you know that as your form-tutor, I am always here for you. So if you need someone to sort those boys out in the correct-way, rather than the violent-way, then I can do that." Mrs Austin offered to Peter.

"Well thanks but no-thanks." Peter replied as they reached the form-classroom, which Carla was stood-just-outside-of as she waited for Peter to arrive at the classroom.

* * *

"Hey You. I hope you're not in trouble!" Carla greeted-him with.

"No he's not actually! For a change! I just needed a word with Peter. And he's on time aswell! Infact, both of you are. Well-Done Mr Barlow." Mrs Austin told-the-guy with a smile and Carla just laughed-at Peter's unamused-reaction as the three of them headed-into the classroom together and then sat-down into their chairs. Mrs Austin was at her desk and Carla and Peter were sat next to each-other at a table in the corner.

"She thinks she's got me on-side now. Just 'cause I was actually being nice to her for once-in my life!" Peter practically whispered to Carla. "See…..I told-ya that the fags work….." He joked with Carla before he then looked-down at his still shaking-hands and then he just frowned. "Speaking-of fags…..I could really do with one right-now….." Peter sighed, and Carla shot-him a concerned-look as she too spotted that his hands were shaking.

"Why?! Peter, what's happened?!" Carla asked her best-friend worriedly.

"Ah it's nothing….." Peter trailed-off.

"I know you Peter Barlow! And the Peter Barlow I know does not just get shaking-hands like that for no-reason!" Carla told-him firmly. "Now what's happened?! She asked-him confidently.

"James and his mates have decided to gang-up on me…..And if Mrs Austin hadn't of walked-past when she did then who knows what state I'd be in right-now….." Peter told Carla quietly, in 100% Confidence and trust that she would keep-it to herself.

Carla just sighed at her best-friend. "Oh darlin' that's the last thing ya need…..Are you okay?!" She asked-him sensitively as she sweetly rubbed his arm.

"I'm fine…..Or at-least I will be once I've had a fag….." Peter replied to her as he looked-at the Clock, wondering when Form-Time would-be finally-over.

"No!" Carla told-him firmly.

"What dya mean 'No?!' " Peter asked-her with a funny-look on his face as he did an impression of Carla saying 'No' in the funny-way that she just did.

"I'm not letting you have another-single Fag!" Carla replied to him.

"Are you mad?!" Peter asked-her with a rather-amused laugh to accompany the question with as he did-so.

"I could ask you the same question! Now fags and lighters please?!" Carla requested, and Peter just looked-at her, so she glared back-at him before he then sighed as he did what she had asked. He secretly handed the fags and the lighters to Carla, under the table, away from the prying eyes of Mrs Austin and any other tell-tales that there may have been around at that-time. "Thank-You." Carla said, feeling rather proud and satisfied with herself as she tucked-away the packet-of-fags and the various different-coloured lighters into her bag so that she could get-rid of them once Form-Time had finished for the Morning.

* * *

After a long-morning of what seemed-to-be like one-boring-lesson after another for both Peter and Carla, lunchtime had finally arrived. Peter checked his mobile-phone to find that he had a text from Charlie; one of his Foster-Carers.

_**Charlie: Do you plan on coming-home tonight?! It's your bedroom not your store-cupboard. This is a house not a drop-in centre. You live here Peter, and if you want to carry-on living-here, then I suggest that you show your face sometime soon. Your choice. Charlie. **_

"ARGH!" Peter just groaned-in pure-anger as he sat on one of the school-picnic-benches with Carla.

"What's Up?!" Carla asked-him worriedly. Peter handed Carla his phone so that she could read the text from Charlie. "Ouch." Carla said when she had finished reading the text. "So what are ya gonna do then?! I mean, you're always welcome at mine Peter, and ya know that…..But by the sounds of that text, you should probably be getting-home once school has finished." Carla told Peter, calmly but truthfully as he stood-himself-up and then walked-around the table as Carla then gave Peter's phone back to him.

"Great…..If I DON'T go-home then I'll get myself chucked-out…..But then if I DO go-home then I'll probably find-myself getting shouted-at by Betty & Charlie, and then I'll kick-off. And then I'll probably end-up getting-myself chucked-out anyway!" Peter told Carla sadly.

"Oh Peter…..Maybe they won't go as crazy as you think they will….." Carla tried to re-assure Peter, but she was struggling to make herself believe-that statement, let-alone trying to make Peter believe-it aswell.

"Oh Come-On Carla you know that they're like. They hate-me! Listen, can I have a fag please?! Just one!" Peter practically begged Carla for a cigarette.

"Nope! You're not breaking at the first bit of bad-news! I won't let ya!" Carla told-him sternly.

"Oh come-on Carla. Please?!" He asked-her once-again.

"NO!" Carla shouted at him, which was unusual for her. Carla very rarely raised-her-voice that much at Peter.

"FOR GOODNESS SAKE!" Peter shouted as he threw his phone as forcefully as he could away from him, across to the other-side of the playground.

"Peter calm-down!" Carla told-him, less loudly this-time around.

"Then give-me a Fag!" Peter told-her angrily, but Carla still refused-to give-in to him.

"I've told ya! NO!" Carla told-him firmly.

"ARGH!" Peter shouted as he then kicked the Picnic Table violently, and Carla had to dodge-out of the way so that she didn't get kicked-in the face by Peter accidentally.

"Woah Woah Woah!" Carla said as she stood-up and then walked-over to Peter, grabbing-him by the arms so that he was restricted-in his movements. "You need to take a deep-breath and calm-down Mister!"

"WHY SHOULD I?!" Peter shouted-at Carla as he seethed with anger.

* * *

James then walked-past just at the wrong-time, by himself this-time-around as Peter then caught-sight of him and launched himself at the Cocky 18 Year-Old. Carla was forced to let-her-grip-on Peter go as he began to violently-attack James until he was barely-conscious.

* * *

Eventually some teacher's managed-to force Peter away from James as he then stormed-off away from the scene, still all angry and worked-up.

Carla sighed, she knew-it wasn't wise to go near Peter until he had calmed-down a little-bit. But she had to follow-him, she had to make-sure that he got home safely. She cared about-him too much not-too.

Carla was relieved to see that Peter had gone straight back-to the Foster-Home, so she left-him to cool-off until later on that evening, when she popped-around to go and check-up on him.

* * *

"Hiya Betty, do you mind if I go and see Peter please?!" She calmly asked Betty politely whilst she stood on the doorstep with one of Peter's two-Foster-Carers.

"Of-Course you can love. But be careful, he's been in a foul-mood ever-since he came-home." Betty warned-her and Carla just sighed at the Lady.

"Yeah I know….." She trailed-off before she then made her way up the many flights of stairs that were in the Foster-House, until she reached Peter's box-sized bedroom.

She opened the door to find Peter led on his back on the bed, and she could tell from the red-rings that were around his eyes that he had been crying.

"Hey You." She began softly as she poked her head around the door.

"Hey. Come-On In." He replied calmly, barely moving a muscle as he did-so.

"You're not gonna attack me are ya?!" Carla joked with a little-giggle as she walked into the bedroom and then sat-down besides Peter on his bed.

"Don't Carla." He sighed.

"I'm Sorry." She replied calmly as she placed her hand onto Peter's stomach and gently rubbed-it, creasing his t-shirt as she did-so.

"S'alright. I'm sorry that you had to see me like that earlier. I don't quite know why you're being so nice to me. I barely deserve-it do I?!" Peter told Carla sadly.

"Yeah well I happen to like ya…..Matey!" Carla teased-him as she tickled his stomach, making Peter laugh slightly. "Ah is that a smile I see?! That's better. I like-it when you smile!" She told-him sweetly.

"Yeah well I don't get much opportunity too. Do I?!….." Peter trailed-off sadly as Carla sighed in sympathy for him.

"Hey Come-Here." Carla said as she held her arms out open for Peter. Peter then sat-himself-up and practically fell-into Carla's arms. Carla held-him tightly as she then spoke-to-him. "What you did to James was wrong…..But you're my best-mate Peter…..You always have been…..And I just so happen to care about ya a heck of a lot! So even-though you're gonna be in goodness knows how much trouble when we go back to school tomorrow…..I'll stand-by-you. Whatever happens. Alright?!" She told Peter, continuing to hold him closely against her chest.

"Thank-You so-much Car…..You're the best-friend I could ever ask-for." Peter told Carla as he lifted-his head-up slightly as that he could look-deeply into her eyes.

"Hey at-least I know who to come-to if I ever need someone beating-up for me…..That's one heck of a punch you've got on ya there Peter!" Carla joked with him and Peter weakly smiled at her and then silently chuckled at her joke.

"Come-Here You." He told-her, kissing his best-friend on the cheek before he then hugged-her again.

* * *

_**Phewf! That was a long-old chapter to write! Was dramatic though! Please-Review!**_


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, Carla accompanied Peter to school, where they were both almost immediately greeted by Mrs Austin as they walked through the corridors together. "Peter Barlow! If you knew just how much trouble I've gone to this morning to stop the Head from permanently excluding you from this school! The aggro and grief I've caused to all of the other members of staff that teach-you by standing-up for you! You better tread carefully today boy and that is a warning!" Mrs Austin told-him angrily as she practically frog-marched him into her classroom, which Carla trailing-closely behind them both.

"James has had to stay in hospital overnight with severe concussion! You have managed to bruise three of his ribs, broken one of them, and caused him to have 10 Stitches in his head, 2 broken fingers, and a sprained-wrist! Are you PROUD of yourself young-man?!" Mrs Austin shouted at Peter furiously.

"Why would I be Proud of that?! Of-Course I'm not proud of that Miss…..I acted like an idiot and I let my temper get the better of me….."

"Again….." Mrs Austin briefly interrupted-him.

"And I'm sorry for that Mrs Austin I really am….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"Sorry?! Sorry doesn't even come close to making-up for this Peter Barlow!" Mrs Austin told-him as Carla took Peter's hand into her own and squeezed-it gently. Carla was probably one of the only people who actually was not angry with Peter this-morning.

"So what's gonna happen to Peter then Miss?! Seeing as he's not excluded?!" Carla asked Mrs Austin quietly but confidently.

"Well…..After a rather heated discussion…..The Head & I came to an agreement…..After the trouble you've caused Peter, there are only a few-teachers in this school who will still continue to accept you into their classrooms again…..So the agreement was, that in return for you not getting excluded, you will be staying in my classroom, all day and every day. I'll put you in the back-corner, away from the other-classes that I teach. The teachers will bring-me the work set for you to do in the mornings, and explain to me what it is that's required of you and you WILL do that work. Do you understand-me Peter?! Unless you bring a packed-lunch with you. - You will be escorted by me down to the canteen for lunch-time. Is that clear Mr Barlow?!" Mrs Austin told Peter firmly.

"Yeah it is. And thank-you Mrs Austin…..Really. I can't afford to get myself excluded…..This school and Carla and the only two-things that have kept-me out of prison lately and over the past-few-years….." Peter told both Carla and Mrs Austin truthfully.

"Yes well, luckily for you Mr Barlow, I can believe that…..Which is why I fought tooth and nail to keep you here at this-school…..And it's also why I will allow Carla to come and see you at both break-times and lunchtimes…..The Head won't be happy about-it…..But I can see that she's good for you….." Mrs Austin trailed-off and Carla just smiled at the teacher.

"That's what my Mum & Dad used to tell-me before…..Well you know what comes next….." He revealed to Mrs Austin sadly.

"Yes unfortunately I do Peter…..But listen to me, you owe-it to them, aswell as me, to make this agreement work. You've got to prove to the Head-Teacher, and to the rest of the teachers at this school that you still deserve a place here at Weatherfield High. Because if you don't Peter…..Then I'm afraid I will no-longer be able to defend-you….." Mrs Austin paused for a second or two. "So don't let me down! Okay?! And don't let your parents down either!" She told Peter softly with a gentle-smile shot in Peter's direction as she did-so.

Mrs Austin then left the room briefly so that she could inform the Head-Teacher that Peter had agreed to this decision, and that it was going-ahead. This left Peter and Carla alone to chat for a little-while. Mrs Austin knew that he was unlikely to do anything this-morning. He just wouldn't push his luck like that?! Or would he?!

"Flippin' Heck you got lucky there Peter Barlow!" Carla told-him happily with a smile, but Peter was still slightly in shock.

"Hmmm…..The pressure's on now though…..What if I let everyone-down AGAIN, Carla?!" Peter asked Carla worriedly.

"You won't. I won't let-you! And neither will Mrs Austin. Because if you do…..Then it's on her head! This was HER decision to take you on, and so she obviously believes in you Peter…..And so do I! You can do this Peter! And you won't let-anyone down. And least-of-all your parents. You could never let-them down. I'm sure of it. Okay?! And besides, they're watching over you from the Stars above, aren't they?! They will look-after-you from up-there, and I will take-care of you from down-here on earth. Okay?!" Carla positively re-assured Peter, and he just nodded-at Carla in reply.

"Thank-You for putting-up with me."

"That's Okay. I'm your best-mate Peter. And I wouldn't want ya any-other way." She told-him with a cheeky-smile as the two-friends then hugged each-other tightly.

The day soon came to an end for Carla, although for poor Peter it seemed-to just drag-on forever and ever. Carla met-him by their form-classroom which Mrs Austin taught-in and they then began to walk out of the school together. "So how was your day then?!" Carla asked Peter with a sweet-smile.

"As boring as hell!" Peter told-her truthfully, and it really had been that boring for the troublesome-lad.

"Ah Well. At-Least It's Better-Than Being Permanently-Excluded Mate. And you've just gotta keep telling yourself that Peter!" She told-him softly as Kyle and the rest of James' Mates walked-pas the both of them.

"Think you're 'ard do ya?! Beating-Up James like-that?!" Kyle asked-him angrily.

"I do as it happens yeah….." Peter responded to them with as Carla sighed, why couldn't they have just left Peter-alone for once in their sad-little-lives!

"Peter come-away. Come-On let's just ignore them ey?!" Carla tried to plead with Peter, but he wasn't listening, not-anymore.

"Well you better-watch-out Mate." Kyle told Peter in a threatening-voice as he got-up into Peter's face. "All you'll end-up being far worse-off that James is right now, have you got that?!" He warned Peter with a rather-scary tone of voice…..For a 15 Year-Old Lad it was anyway.

"And if you don't back-off sharpish then you'll gonna be lying next to James in that hospital bed…..Do you understand-me?!" Peter told Kyle with gritted-teeth as he did-so.

"Idiot…Poor Boy…..Oliver Twist…..Orphan….." That last insult just set Peter-off as he made a grab for Kyle's shirt, but Kyle's mates then grabbed Peter and then threw him to the floor before he even had the chance to do anything to hurt Kyle.

The gang then walked-off together as they laughed-at Peter, who was still on the ground. Carla then walked-over to Peter and crouched-down next to him. "Are you okay?!" She asked-him softly.

"I think I've scraped my elbow on the ground but apart from that, yeah I'm fine." Peter replied to Carla as she then helped-him to his feet.

"They were well out of line just then Peter. That was horrible calling-you all of those names let-alone an Orphan…..That's just nasty." Carla told Peter, angry with Kyle and the rest of the Gang of James' Friends for being so vile towards Peter when he really didn't need-it, even-if they thought that he did deserve-it.

"They're right though…..I can't bring my parents back to life no-matter how hard I try…..Man I wish that I could sometimes…..Life was great before all of that rubbish-happened….." Peter trailed-off sadly as the pair of friends then began to walk together back to Peter's Foster-House.

They then both headed-back-up to Peter's box-sized bedroom once-again so that Carla could clean-up Peter's grazed and bleeding-elbow. She cleaned the gravel out of it with a wet-flannel before she then dried the cut and then placed a plaster over the reddish-graze. "There we go. All sorted." Carla told Peter sweetly with a smile on her face.

"You're so good to me Carla. I have done everything wrong recently and yet you're still friends with me. Most people who were once my Mates are afraid to come within 3 Metres of me now incase incase I swing a punch at them or something….." Peter told Carla sadly as they were sat-down onto Peter's bed-together.

"Yeah but I know that you're not like that Peter. Don't I?! You're one big-massive softie at heart. I know that you are. And besides, you know fully-well darlin' that if you ever tried to punch-me then I'd punch you back twice as hard and in a rather painful-place…..Well…..For you male-species it would be painful anyway….." Carla trailed-off with a little-giggle.

"But really though Carla…..Thank-You." He told her as she then placed-one-of her hands onto his shoulder.

"It's not a problem Peter. What are friends for ey?!" She then finished with and there was an awkward-silence between the pair of them which lasted for a couple of seconds as they just sat-there on the bed, just gazing into each-other's eyes.

Peter's eyes then fell-down to look at Carla's lips, before they then shifted-themselves-back-to her eyes again as he then leaned-in closer. Their lips touched, and although Carla was nervous at first, she just kind-of went-along with the kissing. They kissed for a couple of seconds before Carla then made the decision to slowly pull-herself-away from Peter's lips.

"I've gotta go." She told-him softly.

"Carla please-don't go?!" He asked-her quietly.

"I have to darlin'…..That should never of happened…..This can't happen….." Carla told-Peter nervously, on the edge of tears now as she did-so.

"I know…..But please say that we're still friends…..Please Carla, just say-it?!" Peter practically begged-Carla now as he too began to get a little-tearful at the after-thought of what had just happened between the pair of them.

"Oh Peter of-course we're still friends. We always will be. I'll see-ya at School tomorrow. Yeah?!" Carla told-Peter, sweetly rubbing his cheek before she then stood-up and left the bedroom, shutting the door behind-her as she then leaned-back-up against-it for just a second or two as she then closed her eyes and thought-about what had happened for just a second.

"_It felt so good." Carla thought to herself as her eyes then remained-closed. "And Peter was certainly a good-kisser, there were no-two-ways about that….." Carla's thoughts then trailed-off into a pure and simply nothingness….._But something about the whole-kiss was just wrong…..The pair of them of had both been the best-of-friends for goodness know how long now…..And there they were kissing?! What was going-on?! Had their feelings for each-other changed all of a sudden?! Carla was confused, as was Peter as Carla then took a deep-breath-in and then out before she then made her way down the many-flights of stairs which were in the Foster-House, and then she made her way outside and began to head-back-home to the Donovan Household.

_**Please-Review! **_


	5. Chapter 5

Carla wasn't at school the next day, and Peter was beginning to think that he had wrecked the friendship that they had shared forever by trying to kiss Carla the night-before. I mean, what was he even thinking?! It also meant that he had no-one but Mrs Austin to keep him out of trouble today, so Peter was going to have to control himself if he came across Kyle and the gang.

Before Peter knew-it, it was lunchtime; he had kept his head-down for most of the morning and had managed to stay out of trouble as he sat at the back of Mrs Austin's classroom. "Peter….." Mrs Austin began with, to get the poor-kid's attention with. "You've been very quiet today?! And you seem a little-bit…..Well…..Distracted?! Can I ask is everything okay?!" A concerned Mrs Austin asked Peter; within a matter of weeks, she had gone from hating the lad to actually becoming rather quite fond of him. She knew that Peter was a nice enough kid deep-down inside, he knew that from his friendship with Carla, but the poor-lad was very-troubled and it was going to take a lot of effort on both Carla and Mrs Austin's part to keep Peter on the right-side of the track, rather than on the wrong side of it.

Peter just sighed at Mrs Austin's question as he then quickly looked-up from his work and shortly caught-eye-contact with Mrs Austin. "You don't wanna know….." Peter trailed-off, thinking about what had happened with Carla last-night.

"Yes I Do….." Mrs Austin replied to the poor-kid, knowing from his facial expressions and body language that he wanted to tell-her really.

"No You Don't! You'd feel awkward. And so would I…..And besides it's none of your business Miss!" Peter told-her harshly, building-up those barriers again.

"Peter I'm your form-tutor, not your worst-enemy. Now just tell-me!" Mrs Austin him pushed-him into revealing the truth to her.

"Fine! I tried to kiss Carla last-night and it didn't exactly go to plan!" Peter blurted-out angrily at Mrs Austin. "So not only have I been rejected by the girl that I love to pieces, but that same girl also doesn't want to know me! Which is obviously why she's not at school today!"

Mrs Austin just sighed. "Oh Peter…..I know that this must be difficult for you…..But your friendship wouldn't have been affected by all of this…..Carla's just not like that Peter! And you're still both so young! You don't want to be committing both of yourselves to a serious-relationship this early on surely?!" Mrs Austin asked Peter with sensitivity.

"Oh what do you know Miss?!" Peter asked her angrily.

"I know that I'm 60 Years Old this year and that I have been happily married since I was 30 and now I have 3 Grown-Up Children. But my point-is Peter…..Is that I didn't even-meet the man that is now my Husband until my late-twenties. So there's no-rush Peter. There really isn't." Mrs Austin tried to gently re-assure-him.

"Have you not seen Carla lately, Miss?! She's flippin' well gorgeous! If I don't get her into my arms soon then some-other kid will….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"And if she does then it obviously wasn't meant to be between the two of you….." Mrs Austin told Peter nervously, knowing that this very statement could make him kick-off and go mental. Which of-course, he did.

"Do you think that I'm stupid or something Miss?! Because I can tell you now that I. Am. Not. I'm really not! And I don't care how long you have been married for Miss, because your advice is flippin' rubbish! I'm going-to find Carla after-school and I'm gonna tell-her that I love her!" Peter shouted at Mrs Austin before he then grabbed his lunchbox from his messed-up and ripped rucksack and began to eat the lunch that was on the inside of it.

* * *

The end of school had soon arrived and once it was dark at around 6pm, Peter headed over to Carla's to sort things out after yesterday evening. He knocked-on the door loudly, and when she eventually answered, she was still in her Pyjama's. "Oh hey you." She replied tiredly.

"You look rough." Peter told-her truthfully, feeling guilty that Carla was generally ill; and she hadn't just been avoiding-him all-day-long after they had shared that kiss together last-night.

"Well Thanks For That Useful Piece Of Information, Peter…..Look I would invite you in but I don't want you to catch whatever it is that I've got….." Carla trailed-off sadly.

"That's Okay. But we need to talk Carla." He told her softly.

"The kiss was a mistake Peter, okay?! And I'm sorry if that upsets you…..But we've been best-mates since we were both little 8 Year Olds…..Getting together now would just be stupid…..Not to mention disastrous!" Carla told Peter truthfully, she felt bad, but she needed Peter to know the truth about how she felt about him.

"But Carla, I really like ya…..I mean I can't stop thinking about ya….." Peter told Carla with a frown.

"Oh Peter…..You're sweet alright?!" Carla replied, rubbing Peter's cheek with her hand as she did-so. "And it's nice to know that you think so much of me…..But I'm happy with us just being best-friends….." Carla told-him, feeling terrible that she was breaking Peter's heart like-this.

Peter sighed angrily, he didn't like making a fool of himself at the best-of-times let-alone around Carla, and this kind-of embarrassment was just going to send Peter off the rails all-over again. "Fine." He told Carla harshly before he then turned-away from Carla and then began to walk-off.

"Oh Peter please don't be like this! You're my best-mate! And I love ya as a friend. I just don't love ya as a boyfriend. Okay?!" Carla practically begged and pleaded with Peter as she tried to make him understand.

"THEN WHY DID WE EVEN EVER KISS IN THE FIRST PLACE?!" Peter shouted-at her tearfully.

"I don't know. Maybe we were both a little-bit confused?! Maybe. Just Maybe! But just listen to me Peter will ya?! I want ya to promise-me that you'll go straight home without any trouble?!" Carla asked-of Peter, getting slightly tearful herself now, as she feared-about what this recent heart-breaking-news would-do to an already extremely-fragile Peter.

"Get-Lost Carla….." He told-her sadly as he then walked-away from Carla.

"Peter!" She called tearfully as he then walked-out of Carla's sight-line. That was it. She had just lost her best-friend. She had to do something to make him understand. Surely there was some way of doing-that?! Surely there must have been?!

* * *

On the way home, Peter bumped-into James and his Gang. James had been discharged from hospital today, and now he was out to get Peter back for what he had done to him. James wanted revenge and that was final. "OY BARLOW! Look who is back!" James taunted as he approached Peter with Kyle and the rest of the Gang.

"Back-Off James!" Peter warned James harshly, as he tried to just keep-on walking-past the Gang, but they blocked-his pathway as he attempted-to do so.

"NO! You put-me in hospital mate! And now I'm gonna do exactly the same-thing to you! Now if you wouldn't mind lads?!" James requested as Peter tried-to make a run for it in the opposite-direction to all of the Gang, but they had soon caught-up with Peter and had rugby tackled-him to the ground.

James violently pulled Peter to his feet as Kyle, and another-muscly-lad held Peter still as James got to work on maliciously attacking Peter.

When the attack had finished, Peter was virtually unconscious and was slumped against a wall in a nearby alley-way. "Not so hard now are ya Pal?!" James laughed and Kyle and the rest of the Gang joined-him in doing-so as they quickly-walked-away from Peter before anyone could spot who they were.

Around an hour-later, Rob and his mates were walking-home after some spending-some-time together. It was Rob that spotted Peter slumped in the dark alley-way as he then ran-over to him in a panic. He then crouched-down next to Peter and checked-his pulse and was then relieved to find that he still had-one. "PETER! Peter wake-up. Please?!" Rob begged tearfully as one of his friends called-an ambulance.

* * *

Once the ambulance had arrived and the Paramedics were seeing-to Peter, Rob ran-home as fast as he possibly could, knowing that Carla would want to know-about this. He opened the front-door, leaving-it open as he then dashed-up the stairs and into Carla's bedroom, where she was led in bed, feeling rather-ill and very sorry for herself. "CARLA!" Rob shouted as he slammed the door-open and then burst-into Carla's bedroom in a panic.

"ROB! You flippin' scared-me just then! What the bloomin' heck do ya want?!" Carla asked-him.

"I'm sorry but it's Peter….." And Carla just sighed in anger.

"Ugh what about-him?!" She asked, fed-up of hearing his name after her confrontation with him earlier. She still felt bad, but her upset was quickly changing to anger against the poor-kid, but that was soon changed upon hearing Rob's news.

"CARLA YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! Someone's beaten-up Peter!"

"Ya what?!" Carla asked-in pure-shock at the news.

"I found-him in the alleyway when I was walking-home with my mates…..He looked-In a bad-way Sis….."

"Then where is he now?! Don't tell-me you just left-him there Rob?!" Carla asked-Rob worriedly.

"NO! Of-Course I didn't! One of my friends rang for an ambulance. The Paramedics were seeing-to him when I left. So I ran-home to tell-you." Rob told Carla, obviously upset at the state in which he had found Peter-in.

"Oh Rob come-here." Carla said, holding her arms out for her little-brother as she sat-up in her bed and then the two siblings hugged-each-other as Rob sat next to her on the bed.

"Thank-You for coming and telling-me. You've been a star. And I'm sorry if I snapped-at you. We'll go and see-him in the morning yeah?!" Carla suggested to Rob as they continued to hug each-other, and she felt Rob nod from underneath her chin as she did-so.

* * *

Over at the hospital, Betty and Charlie were sat together at the side of Peter's bed as they waited-for him to wake-up. He had an oxygen-mask over his face and was covered-in various cuts and bruises. He coughed violently as he began to wake-up. "Peter?!" Betty questioned as Charlie took hold-of his hand and gave-it a squeeze.

"Carla. Where's Carla?! I want Carla!"

* * *

_**Please Review! (:**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**So I wanted to get 2 updates in so then I can focus on Moving Forwards again! (: **_

_**I hope you're enjoying this fic though and please review letting-me know what you think. It means a lot!**_

* * *

As promised, the next-morning, Carla took Rob to go and see Peter in hospital. Even though Carla wanted to go and see him just as much, it had been Rob's idea really. And it was Rob that had found-him, so it was only right that he got the praise from Peter when the time came-for-it.

When the Nurse led them both into Peter's room, he was asleep. Betty and Charlie were still at his bedside, but they were awake. Carla briefly smiled-at them as the Nurse left them too it and allowed them both to enter the room together. "Ooo Carla, Peter won't half be glad you are here!" Charlie told Carla with a smile. She had her arm around her younger-brother Rob, who looked a little-nervous as he was watching Peter sleep, he looked properly battered. Rob was just glad that he had found Peter when he had done. Goodness knows what kind-of a state he would be in now if he hadn't of found-him.

"Yeah well I'm just glad that I am here….." Carla trailed-off quietly.

"He was asking for ya, ya know?! When he first woke-up from being all unconscious and everything….." Betty told Carla sweetly.

"Was he?!" Carla asked whilst a little-smile tugged-at the corners of her mouth and she couldn't help but grin widely at that statement. That was typical-Peter, he always put Carla first and that was just very-sweet in Carla's eyes.

"Yeah I Was….." Replied a groggy Peter as he awoke from his slumber.

"Hey You." Carla said softly as she walked-over to the side of Peter's bed.

"We'll leave you three to it." Charlie told the three of them softly as himself and Betty then left the room and then began to head-back-home to the Foster-House.

"Hey. Thanks for coming." Peter told Carla as he then took-a-hold of her hand and then gently squeezed-it before he then let-go and then looked-at Rob.

"Hey Mate. I heard you saved my life. Thank-You." Peter told Rob sweetly and Rob just smiled nervously in return.

"That's Okay. Carla would have killed-me if I'd have just left-you to suffer….."

"Too right I would have." Carla replied as Peter tried to sit-himself-up in his bed, but he just winced-in pain as he did-so, holding his painful ribs with his left-hand and then just softly and slowly lay-himself back-down again.

"Ooo hey take-It easy you." Carla told-him. "Looks painful. She added-onto the end of that sentence as she glanced her eyes over all of Peter's cuts and bruises. "Is anything broken?!" She asked-him.

"My left thumb, two fingers, and possibly a rib or three but other than that it's just cuts and bruises….." Peter trailed-off as Carla then just took a quick-glance at Rob before taking a deep breath-in so that she could speak to her little-brother kindly.

"Rob, why don't you go and get yourself a hot-chocolate ey?!" Carla suggested, shoving a five-pound notes worth of cash into Rob's hand as the young-kid then disappeared-off down the corridor. Once Carla then knew that Rob was out of sight, she turned-back-to Peter so that she could chat to him.

* * *

"Do you know who did this?!" She asked as she then took a seat next to Peter's hospital-bed.

"James and his mates….." Peter trailed-off.

"But when?! I mean, I had only seen you like about an hour before Rob came-back….." Carla gently questioned-him.

"Yeah they caught-me-out on my way back to the Foster-House…..The worst timing in the world ey?! First of all I get turned-down by the woman of my dreams…..And then I get beaten-up on the way-home…..That's some street-cred I've earned-myself…..All the kids used to be scared of me…..As if that's gonna happen-now….." Peter trailed-off irritatedly.

"That's because you're just a big old softie at heart Peter Barlow." Carla flirted with him cheekily. "And besides it was hardly the night of my life either…..First of all I fall-out with the man of my dreams…..Then I turn-him-down…..And then not-long later and I find-out that he's in hospital in a pretty bad-state having been beaten-up on his way-home….." Carla trailed-off with a cheekily smile on her face.

"Wait…..What do you mean by the man of your dreams Carla?! I mean…..I thought you didn't like me in that way…..I thought….."

"Sshh." Carla interrupted-him with a quiet-whisper, placing her index finger over his lips. You just rest. Let-me do the talking for a change okay?!" She told-him softly as she then gently ran her hand through his hair.

"I never thought that it could ever work…..Ya Know?! What with Me n You being together and all of that nonsense…..But then…..When Rob said that you had been beaten-up last-night and that you were in hospital…..Well I think my heart just stopped-beating for a second or two…..And the fact that I could barely sleep at all last-night because I was worrying about you so much…..Well it just made-me realize that I HAD and that I HAVE Fallen well and truly in love with my best-mate. Ya know Rob had to hold-me whilst I cried myself to sleep last-night…..The way I felt last-night…..Well I've never felt like that about anyone before…..And it just made-me think well…..Well what IF…..I mean…..We're a boy and girl, who are both 15 Years Of Age, and are both the best of mates with each-other…..I mean…..A loving-relationship is just the next-step along the way. Surely?!" Carla finished-with as she then cheekily but sweetly winked-at Peter as he then just smiled-at her.

"Really?! Do you mean that Carla?! Like…..Really Really Really?!" Peter asked-her innocently with a smile.

"I meant every-word that I said….." Carla told Peter as she then leaned-down and then over-him to place the softest of kisses against his bruised-cheek. His lips looked red and sore, so she thought that she'd avoid them for a while to prevent herself from having to cause Peter any-more pain that he was-in already.

* * *

Later that afternoon and Carla was still sat with Peter as the Nurse then came-in to check-how Peter's ribs were. Rob had been picked-up earlier-on that day by Carla's Mother and Father so that he could be taken to school. The Nurse put her rubber-gloves on and then felt along Peter's ribs to see where the pain was, and he winced everytime she pressed a little-bit harder. Carla held-his hand the whole-way through-it.

"Are you okay?!" Carla asked-him softly as the Nurse then disappeared-off again.

"Yep." He replied, but Carla could tell that he was lying.

"Peter…..This is me you're talking-to remember…" She told-him firmly.

"I'm Fine I Promise You!" He told-her frustratedley, but this only caused-him to wince in even-more-pain.

"See I didn't think you were fine….." Carla replied as she gently ran her hand over the cuts on Peter's face. There was a large scrape on the side of his forehead and Carla just sighed in sympathy for him as he flinched away from her.

"Stop It!" Peter told-her, pushing her hands away with his own hands.

"Peter…..You're in hospital with some really painful looking injuries…..Stop trying to play the tough guy!" Carla told-him firmly and Peter just sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry." He replied meaningfully.

"I know you are. Now just take-it easy will ya?!" Carla asked-him and he then just nodded-in reply.

"Anyway, I suppose I better go to school. Behave for the Nurses okay?!" She told-him cheekily.

"I'll try too." He replied before Carla then kissed Peter on the lips, but very gently as she knew that it would hurt-him if she didn't.

"That felt right." Peter told-her with a small-smile.

"It's gonna take some getting used too. But yeah it did. Cya later okay?!" Carla said before she then headed-off back to school.

* * *

When Carla arrived at Weatherfield High, she headed-straight-for Mrs Austin's classroom, she was teaching a class when Carla had arrived-there, but she could tell that she needed to talk to the teacher urgently, so Mrs Austin left her class with some work to do so that her and Carla could chat just outside of the room in the corridor.

"Hello Carla, are you feeling better?!" Mrs Austin asked with a small-smile on her face.

"Yeah I am thanks. Listen, have ya heard about what happened to Peter last-night?!" Carla asked the teacher sadly.

"No why what's happened to him?! Nothing for me to worry about I hope?!" A concerned Mrs Austin asked Carla, who sighed.

"Yeah it is I'm afraid. He came-around-to mine for a bit last-night, and then on his way home he…..Well he got beaten-up….." Carla trailed-off.

"Oh my goodness that's awful news! Well is he okay?!" Mrs Austin asked Carla worriedly.

"Not really no Miss…..He's in hospital recovering….."

"He's in Hospital?! My gosh it must have been a pretty bad fight then….."

"Yeah it was…..He was unconscious for a little-while…..If it weren't for my little-brother Rob then I don't know what kind-of state he'd be in right-now….." Carla trailed-off sadly.

"Right well thanks for telling-me Carla…..Does he want me to visit, or would he rather I stayed away?!" Mrs Austin asked Peter's best-mate, concerned for Peter. She was yet to find-out that Peter and Carla were now a couple aswell…..

"Yeah I think he'd really appreciate a visit from you Miss…..He's bored-stiff in there….." Carla told-her truthfully.

"Okay, well I'll try and pop-in this-evening…..Why don't you get back to him ey?! I can tell that you're concerned about-him and you won't be any use at school whilst you're worrying about Peter….."

"Really?! Are ya sure Miss?!" Carla asked-her with a little-smile on her face.

"Yes I'm sure. Just don't tell anyone-else that I told-ya to miss school. Go-on. Go to Peter." Mrs Austin told Carla kindly, pushing-her in the right direction down the corridor. Carla decided to go to Peter's Foster-Home first to get a change of clothes and some lads magazines for-him to flick-through. Hopefully that would keep-him entertained for just a little-while longer.

* * *

Back-at the hospital, Peter's older-foster brother, Shane, had come-to visit Peter. Shane was 17 and he wasn't exactly the best-behaved-guy himself. He had been in prison once or twice, and it was safe to say that he was on his last-warning at the Foster-Home. Betty and Charlie struggled to deal with him, but Peter liked-him, even-if no-one-else did.

"Hey Bro, how're you feeling?!" Shane asked-him.

"I've been better Mate…..But just listen-to-me a second ey?! Look ya know those contacts that ya have…..Ya know…..The ones who get ya the dope….." Peter trailed-off.

"What about them Peter?!" Shane asked curiously.

"Well I was wondering if you could put them into contact with me?!" Peter asked-his elder-foster-brother.

"Ya what?! No way Pal! I can't do that! Listen, Betty & Charlie hate-me enough as it is, if they were ever to find-out that I was on drugs, then I'd be kicked-out…..And I'm not letting you take that risk aswell as me Bro. There's Absolutely No Way That I'm Doing THAT For Ya! Alright Peter?! Have ya got that?!"

"Well Why The HELL Not?!" Peter asked angrily but this just caused-him pain to his sore-ribs.

"Listen, I'll get you some booze for when you're dis-charged okay?! But nothing-else!" Shane told-him before the two foster-brothers then continued to chat to each-other for a little-while.

* * *

Carla was in Peter's bedroom, having been let-in by Betty & Charlie, so that she could-pack some clothes for Peter. She was just grabbing some magazines for him when she came-across an old-photo. The picture was-of Peter and his biological-family. Peter must have been about 7 at the time. He looked-so happy, and Carla realized how much her boyfriend must miss mis real Mother & Father.

Betty entered the bedroom as Carla was looking-at the old-picture. "I just thought I'd come and see how you were doing love?!" Betty asked Carla kindly.

"Dya think Peter would have still turned-out the way he is if his parents hadn't have…..Well…..Ya Know…..Died?!" Carla asked Betty sensitively.

"Who knows love?! I mean, he still blames himself for the Coach Crash that his parents were involved-in…..He thinks that he could have saved-them…..That he could have done something which would have meant that they would still be alive today…..Imagine having to live with that kind-of guilt everyday Carla?! Guilt that he doesn't need to have…..Because he didn't do anything wrong….." Betty told Carla truthfully, who allowed a single-tear to escape from her eyes. She hated that peter's mind must have been so messed-up like that.

"How does he cope Betty?! I mean, if that happened to my Mum & Dad…..Then I don't think I'd even want to leave my bedroom each-day….."

"He copes by making everyone-else suffer the way that he is suffering everyday…..That's why the whole bully status has never really bothered-him…..Well not until recently….."

"That's probably 'cos of me…..I thought I could try and change-him….." Carla trailed-off, feeling a little-stupid.

"Well whatever you've been doing it's been working….." Betty told Carla.

"Has It?! I mean, after everything that you've just told-me…..I'm not sure anyone could change Peter…..The only thing that could settle his crazy mind would be if his parents were to miraculously come-back to life…..And I can't make that happen can I?! No-One Can….." Carla trailed-off both sadly and tearfully.

"Hey come-on Love." Betty began as she wrapped her arms around Carla. "You're the best-thing that ever happened to Peter. You're the best and closest friend that he's ever had….."

"He's a little more than a friend now actually….." Carla mumbled.

"Oh Really?! Well that's great-news. You best-begetting back to him Carla. He'll want to see you." Betty told Carla with a wide-smile on her face.

"Thanks Betty. I know Peter won't admit-it, but you and Charlie have been and still-are really good to him. You've put-up with his craziness, and even-if Peter doesn't appreciate that…..Well I Do. Thank-You. And tell Charlie that I said that too….." Carla trailed-off.

"Hmmm…..I will when he comes home…..IF he comes-home….." Betty muttered to Carla before she then headed-back to the hospital to visit Peter once-again. Little did-she know what he had agreed with Shane recently…..

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_


	7. Chapter 7

A couple of days later and Peter had been discharged from hospital, just in-time, ready for the weekend! He was still quite sore, and his cuts and bruises pained Peter, but he was glad to be free of that hospital bed that was for sure. Betty had agreed to let Peter stay at Carla's this weekend, which Peter was glad about, but he was still waiting for this stuff from Shane.

Peter & Carla were sat on Carla's living-room sofa together. Even though they had decided to give a proper relationship a go, Carla knew that she would have to take things nice and slowly with Peter, so the couple weren't really cuddled-up as yet, Carla just took a hold of Peter's hand. "How are you feeling then?!" She asked-him sweetly.

"Mmm…..I dunno really…..Everything still hurts….." Peter trailed-off in reply.

"Awww ya poor thing." Carla said, grabbing Peter's cheeks and wobbling them-around with her hands.

"OW! Get-off that kills!" Peter shouted, rubbing his jaw, obviously still in lots of pain.

"Alright Peter I was only messing-around!….." Carla joked and she then paused as she laughed at Peter trying his best to stay in a mood with her. "Hey I'm sorry if that hurt ya….." She trailed-off and Peter just sighed at her as he tried to calm himself down a little-bit.

"That's Okay…..I'm sorry….." Peter told Carla sadly.

"Don't Be. You're still in pain. I just need to be more gentle with you for a couple of days." Carla giggled.

* * *

Back at the Foster-House, Charlie had just arrived-home after being away all night. "And where do you think YOU have been all night?!" Betty asked-him angrily, this had happened once-too-often recently.

"Out." Charlie replied simply.

"Out?! Out where?!" She asked suspiciously.

"Just Out." He replied once-again.

"Well Peter came-home last-night just in case you even cared….." Betty trailed-off.

"Of-Course I care! I love the kids in this house as if they were our own you know that Betty!" Charlie told Betty just-as angrily as Betty had been with him just-now. "Where is the poor-kid anyway?" He simply just asked Betty.

"At Carla's….." Betty replied harshly.

"Well shouldn't he be here at home resting instead off gallivanting with his girlfriend?!" Charlie asked Betty a little irritably.

"He Is RESTING At Carla's!" Betty replied with a raised-voice this-time-around, but it wasn't quite a shout right-now.

"Oh is he really?! Is that what they call-it now then is it?!" Charlie asked sarcastically.

"Shut-Up Charlie! I trust-the both of them, and even-if you don't trust Peter then you should at the very-least trust Carla! She's a good-kid ya know Charlie?!" Betty told-him firmly.

"Yeah she also flamin' stunning Betty! And I know what our Peter's like!" Charlie argued.

"Oh just be quiet will ya Charlie! We have to face-up to the fact that we are not Peter's actual Parents, and that we can no-longer control his each and every move! Peter's REAL Parents are dead Charlie!" Betty shouted as Shane walked-through into the room.

"Will you two stop shouting at each-other?! I can hear ya barking-away at each-other from my room…..Ya know…..The bedroom which is on the THIRD Floor…..That's how loud you're being! Man I'm going-out…..I've got stuff to do….." Shane told them both angrily.

"What kind-of stuff?!" Charlie asked Shane suspiciously.

"Just stuff….." Shane trailed-off, knowing that both Charlie & Betty, nor Carla for that matter, could no-about this…..For Peter's sake aswell as his own if no-one-else's.

* * *

Over-at Carla's, later that evening, Peter had just got a text from Shane…..

_**Shane: **__Betty & Charlie r at each-others' throats agen….._

Peter sighed sadly at Shane's text, which Carla had noticed and looked-at Peter with a face-full-of concern for her boyfriend. "Are you okay?!" She asked-him sensitively.

"Betty & Charlie are arguing again…..Shane just text-me….." Peter trailed-off.

"Oh…..Why are they falling-out so-much recently?!" Carla asked Peter curiously.

"I dunno Car…..I guess it can't be easy looking-after a bunch of kids like-us….." Peter finished-with as he then text Shane back.

_**Peter: **__Have u got the stuff?! _

_**Shane: **__I have now m8. _

Shane's reply was almost instant.

_**Peter: **__Meet me at the park. _

"Listen I've gotta go out for a bit….." Peter told Carla truthfully, but Carla just sighed.

"But Peter you're supposed to be resting….." Carla told Peter firmly.

"Yeah…..I'm supposed to be…..But when do I EVER do as I am told ey?!" Peter replied, trying to joke with Carla with that cheeky-smile of his that he owned.

"This-time-around you do! Where are you going anyway?!" Carla asked-curiously as Peter seemed to be in a rush, and he was moving pretty quickly for a kid with broken-ribs, Carla couldn't imagine the pain that Peter must have been feeling-inside right-now. But it was obvious that he was just trying to cover the pain-up.

"That's none of your business….." Peter chuckled and he had walked-out of the living-room and then out of the front-door before Carla could even do anything-about-it.

* * *

It wasn't long until Peter was at the park, meeting Shane. "Hey Peter." Shane called Peter as he approached-the-kid. "Here's some vodka for ya…..And call-it a 'Get well soon' present…..But I got ya some of this stuff as well….." Shane said, slyly revealing a couple of small-bags with a white-powdery substance in them to Peter.

"Right. Thanks Mate." Peter replied, shoving all the stuff, including the drugs and the vodka into his rucksack. "Do I owe ya anything Pal?!" He asked, pulling his wallet-out.

"You can repay me by NOT getting-caught…..Have you got that Peter?!" Shane told-him, suddenly revealing a darker-side to himself, which Peter wasn't sure how to take.

"Right…..I've got ya…..Listen thanks for this Shaney boy….." Peter chuckled.

"It's a one-off Mate…..If you want anymore then you'll have to find-it yourself…..Okay?!" Shane told-him viciously before he then wandered-off into the distance.

"Yeah Alright….." Peter trailed-off, feeling the pain in his stomach as his ribs pained-him once-again. He pushed-through the pain and then began to head-back to Carla's.

* * *

Just as Peter left the park in a rush, he carelessly-bumped into Mrs Austin. "Woah urm…..Heyyy…..Miss….." Peter trailed-off a little-awkwardly.

"Peter…..Are you feeling-better?!" The teacher-asked, glad that Peter was back-on his feet but also secretly-knowing that Peter remained-blissfully-unaware that she had infact witnessed his exchange with Shane. She wasn't quite-sure what they had exchanged exactly but she certainly knew-that-it didn't look-good for neither Peter nor Shane.

"Yeah Thanks Miss….." Peter replied with a smile, hoping that his unexpected-niceness would catch Mrs-Austin off-guard and then make-her want to end the conversation earlier than she had planned-to.

"So urm…..What were you doing with Shane then?!" She asked-him curiously.

"Oh urm…..it was nothing…..Nothing for you to worry about anyway…..How do you know Shane then Mrs Austin?!" Peter asked-nervously, gutted that Mrs Austin had seen-him and possibly knew exactly what it was that they had been-up-to. Luckily for Peter, the elderly-teacher didn't seem entirely sure herself…..

"I used to teach-him, infact, he used-to be in my form-group just like you are now Peter…..Does he live in the Foster Home with you by any-chance Mr Barlow?!" Mrs Austin asked Peter, remaining to speak calmly with-him, just for now. She couldn't accuse-him of anything until she was entirely 100% sure about just what it was exactly that he had been-up-to with Shane…..

"Yeah he does…..Anyway…..Carla will be wondering where I've got to….." Peter trailed-off before he then said his Goodbyes to Mrs Austin before she then returned the goodbyes and he then headed-back to Carla's.

* * *

"Hey You! You've been ages!" Carla said, hugging Peter gently as he arrived back at her house.

"Sorry….." Peter trailed-off, holding his ribs in pain as he spoke.

"That's Okay…..Hey you look in pain…..I warned ya that ya should be resting! Didn't I Peter?!" Carla told-him softly as she then helped-him through to the living-room and before they both knew-it, they were both sat-back onto that old-sofa once-again.

"Yeah you did….." Peter replied.

"Anyway, let-me put that rucksack by my bag for ya….." Carla offered, but Peter clutched onto the rucksack tiredly, knowing what the contents contained-inside.

"No urm, it's okay…..I'll hold-onto-it for now….." Peter told Carla with a sweet-smile, trying to cover-up his protectiveness over the rucksack.

"Oh okay…..Why's that then?! Craving my full-attention are ya Barlow?!" Carla teased-him as she then placed the gentlest and softest of kisses onto Peter's split-lip, but he still flinched-slightly in pain as she-did-so.

"Something like that yeah….." Peter chuckled, placing his first-two-fingers over his split-lip to check that his lip wasn't now bleeding after that kiss.

"Awww aren't you sweet?!" Carla cooed as she then carefully rested her head against Peter's chest, knowing that his ribs were still causing-him pain so being extra-sure that she did-this tenderly as she did-so.

* * *

As Mrs Austin arrived-home, she feared for-what Peter could be getting himself into if she had caught-him doing what she thought she had. And if it was true, then what could she do about-it?! There was no-way that she was going to tell the Police, even-though perhaps she should have been, but she just couldn't do that to the poor-kid…..No…..Not To Peter…..Not To Peter of all people…..

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_

**_Coming-Up..._**

**_ - Peter's actions threaten both his Education and his Home-Life..._**

**_ - As things hit rock-bottom for Peter, Mrs Austin makes a decision that could affect the poor-kids future..._**

**_ - Carla has to decide whether she is cut-out to be the girlfriend to a boy who needs so-much looking-after?!_**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Be warned. – This chapter could be a little-bit M Rated in parts.**_

* * *

Monday morning had soon arrived, and Peter was still at Carla's, although he would be going back to the Foster Home after-school tonight, Betty had only just agreed to let-him stay over on the Sunday night when he had school the next-day. When Peter eventually awoke himself-up, Carla was still asleep, so he quietly crept downstairs, where his rucksack was, being careful not to disturb Rob or neither of Carla's & Rob's Parents as he walked-past their bedrooms. He eventually reached his rucksack and grabbed-it, taking-out one of the small packets of white-powder, taking a deep-breath-in as he prepared-himself to make what was possibly the biggest-risk of his short, but yet disastrous 15 Year-Old Life…..A risk that had the potential to kill Peter Barlow if he wasn't careful...

* * *

At Weatherfield High, Mrs Austin had just arrived at the school and then made-her-way towards her classrooms for the day…..She couldn't stop thinking about what she had seen Peter and Shane get upto in the Park. She still wasn't 100% sure which is why it kept-on replaying over and over again in her head. It had to be drugs, it just had to be. The elderly teacher couldn't think of anything-else that would be exchanged between the two troublesome teenage-lads, because they certainly weren't exchanging each-others mobile-numbers…..That was for sure.

She had gotten to know Peter a little-better recently as his form-tutor, and she knew that he wasn't the hard and tough lad that he made-out to be. Deep-down, he was just a scared little-kid who missed his Mother & Father, and Mrs Austin recognised that in Peter. She dug-through her confidential cabinet for Peter's file and she then began-to have a look-through-it. The list of exclusions ever-since Peter was Year 7 was endless. And he even had a very-brief Criminal Record, the odd bit of shop-lifting, and a short stint of Community Service when he was 13, mainly for just general stupidity on Peter's part. As she went further back, and back, and back in Peter's general background & history, Mrs Austin had soon discovered that all of Peter's troubles had begun when both of his parents had died when he was just at the young-age of 8 Years-Old. She had been right, and Mrs Austin just wished that she could somehow make Peter feel that Motherly & Fatherly Love all-over-again. It was obviously what Peter was craving the most, and that was blatantly clear to see for anyone who knew the lad well-enough…..She had hoped that Betty & Charlie could have done that for Peter, but obviously-not...

* * *

Back at Carla's House, Rob had awoken to find Peter sat on the sofa in the living-room.

"You're up early." A young-Rob told-him as he appeared-in the living-room door-way, still in his Pyjamas.

"And so are you!" Peter replied rather chirpily, the drugs still working through his system as Peter came-across as surprisingly happy to Rob.

"You left your bag open by the way…..So I did it up for you….." Rob told Peter very-innocently, but this just panicked Peter.

"You didn't…..Look through-it, or see what was in there did ya Rob Mate?!" Peter panicked.

"No….." Rob trailed-off, confused by Peter's very-off question, before he then disappeared back-upstairs to his bedroom as Carla then appeared-into the living-room.

"Good Morning You." Carla greeted Peter with as she then went and sat-herself-down next to him. Peter tried to cover-up his heightened-state as his girlfriend then drew-closer to him, placing one of the gentlest of kisses then onto Peter's cheek. "How are you feeling this morning?!" She asked-him sweetly.

"Not too bad actually….." Peter replied with a smile, as Carla remained blissfully-unaware of just what Peter had been upto this-morning…..

"Oh well that's good. You were early this-morning weren't ya?!" She asked-him curiously.

"Couldn't sleep….." Peter Lied.

"Awww were you hurting again still?!" She asked-him worriedly, and Peter just nodded-at her in reply…..it was kind-of true, he was still in pain, but the drugs this morning had covered-that-up. "Awww you poor thing." Carla told Peter sympathetically as she then gently rubbed-his-chest with her nearest-hand.

* * *

Later that morning, around 2 Hours on, Peter & Carla had arrived-at Weatherfield High. They made their way into the school together and then headed-straight-up towards their form-room together, where a worried Mrs Austin was waiting for them both to arrive, but especially Peter as the rest of the Students in the classroom quietly chatted amongst each-other.

The couple sat-down next to each-other as Peter then threw his rucksack onto the floor so that-it landed-underneath his desk. He put his head into his hands as he began to feel-tired. "Mr Barlow! How are you feeling this morning?!" Mrs Austin asked the poor-kid as he struggled-to even keep-his eyes-open.

"A bit sore. But I'll be okay Miss….." Peter told-her truthfully.

"You look tired Peter….." A concerned Mrs Austin told Peter calmly as Carla placed the nearest hand to Peter onto his back, soothingly rubbing-it in comforting-circles as she did-so.

"Peter didn't sleep very-well last-night…..Did Ya My Darlin'?!" Carla informed the elderly-teacher, but she was quite concerned-about Peter herself. He had seem rather different in some way, shape or form this-morning…..But Carla's couldn't quite pin-point exactly what it was that was different-about-him today…..

"Uh No I Didn't….." Peter trailed-off, lying once-again…..

"Are you okay?!" Carla asked-him, worried about her boyfriend-now that Mrs Austin had pointed-out his sudden-fatigue to her, he had seemed quite chirpy this-morning, and now it was like he was the complete-opposite?! But Carla had barely left Peter's side since-then so she didn't know what to think?! Had she done or something to upset Peter, or was he actually quite-ill?!

Peter nodded-in response to Carla. "I'm Fine." He replied with a whisper and a small but weak smile shot in both Carla's and Mrs Austin's Direction.

"Right…..Well if you don't mind Peter, at the end-of form-time I'd like to have a word with you…..If you wouldn't mind of-course?!" Mrs Austin asked Peter very-politely.

"Yeah that's fine….." Peter trailed-off nervously and Mrs Austin then wandered back to her own-desk as Peter dropped his head to rest against the table as his eyes closed and his hands moved-to link together and then rest against the back-of Peter's head.

"Hey are sure you're okay?!" Carla whispered-to Peter, really worried about-him now.

"No…..I feel…..I feel ill….." Peter told Carla truthfully, not moving his head from the position that it was resting-in on the desk that was directly infront of him.

"Well, how ill?! I mean, dya feel sick or just…..I dunno, I mean, what's wrong?!" Carla asked-him as she then continued-to rub Peter's back with her nearest-hand. Before Peter could answer Carla, the bell then went for the end of registration.

"You just go Car. I'll be fine." He told-her softly as the classroom then cleared-of people so that it was then just himself and Mrs Austin left in the room as Carla too then disappeared-off to her first-lesson for the day.

Peter painful sat-himself-up, holding his ribs as he did-so, so that he could look-at Mrs Austin.

"Peter I need ya to tell-me what it was that Shane gave-you last-night in the Park…..Because if it's what I think it is…..Then I can help-you….." Mrs Austin said, offering a life-line to Peter as she spoke with genuine concern for the kid.

"And what dya think it is then Miss?!" Peter asked, and she noticed that his speech was a little-bit slurred, but not a drunken slurred, more of a 'Just woken-up/Half-asleep' kind-of slurred…..

"Drugs." She told-him bluntly, but Peter just laughed in her face. "This isn't funny Peter." She added-onto the end of that very short-sentence.

"No drugs aren't funny Miss, but you thinking that I take them is absolutely hilarious!….." Peter said, moving his hand to hold the back of his head as he still felt drowsy and a little-light-headed. His breathing felt a little-funny too, it was like the on-comings of an asthma attack, except Peter wasn't asthmatic…..

"Are you okay Peter?!" Mrs Austin asked, noticing his funny-turn all of a sudden.

"Yeah I'm fine." Peter replied, grabbing his rucksack and then going to leave from the room and escape the nerve-wracking clutches of Mrs Austin. The only problem was, was that Peter's rucksack had caught on the corner of the desk and had forced the zip open, causing the white powdery bags to fall-out of Peter's rucksack and onto the floor, into the perfect-sight of Mrs Austin. Peter just looked-at the Lady who was his Form-Tutor, the word 'guilty' written all over his facial-expressions before he then made a run for it, out of the classroom.

Mrs Austin just sighed. "Peter I….." She began, but before she could go any-further Peter had scarpered. She wasn't going to be angry with him, she just wanted to chat to him about the decision he had made to take those drugs in the first-place. She assumed that the reason Peter seemed tired and also seemed-to-be breathing all funny was all because of the side-effects to these drugs that he had taken. She moved from her desk to then go and pick-up the small-bags full-of this white-powdery substance. "Oh Peter….." She whispered to herself sadly as she sighed whilst trying to pick-up all of the bags.

* * *

Peter had reached the school-gates, but he was forced-to stop for a couple of minutes because he simply just felt too dizzy to go-on running any further, and he could barely breathe now. He leaned back against a nearby wall, resting the back of his head against-it as he did-so. "Urgh snap out it Peter!" Peter told-himself angrily, but yet breathlessly at the same-time. He went to move into a jog again, but he stumbled-over his own feet and then just ended-up on the floor. He managed to scramble himself to his feet and then walked-over to a nearby bin, where he was violently-sick.

A couple of younger rebel-like kids who were obviously trying and failing to skive their lessons had come-over each one-by-one, individually, to check that Peter was okay, but he had just shoved them away, insisting that he was fine, but he obviously wasn't at-all alright.

Once Peter had finished being sick he eventually and gradually began to feel a little-bit better. He wasn't so breathless now and although he still felt both sick and dizzy, he reckoned he could manage to walk-home now. "Oh. Perhaps I've coughed-it all up then….." Peter said to himself, referring to the drugs…..And he then began to walk-back-home to the Foster-House.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mrs Austin had gone to find Carla in her lesson. There were three people who needed-to know about Peter as-far as Mrs Austin was concerned…..Two out of the three people had already been notified together via a phone-call…..But Carla was the third and final-person that she would-tell.

"Carla I'm so sorry to have to pull-you out of your lesson like this but this is important….." Mrs Austin began to explain as they approached the classroom together. Carla took a seat at the front as Mrs Austin went and fetched the big plastic-bag which contained everything that had dropped-out of Peter's rucksack earlier-on…..Including the drugs…..

"As you know Carla I am the kind-of teacher who likes to stick to the rules, and what I'm about to show and tell you will be highly unprofessional of me and could get-me into a lot of trouble if anyone were to find-out about-this…..Do You Understand Carla?!" Ms Austin asked Carla deadly seriously, and Carla just nodded-in response.

"Right, well I hope that I can trust you to be mature about this Carla…..Because I think that you deserve to know this…..When I was chatting to Peter earlier…..It was because I was suspicious that he had been up to no good…..I saw him in the park with one of my ex-students, Shane, last-night, and I can almost guarantee that Peter making friends with Shane will have disastrous consequences…..And they're mainly for Peter…..Anyway, he got nervous when I started-to question-him about-it, and then he tried to run-off but his rucksack got caught and spilled-open…..And THIS is what I found on the floor afterwards….." Mrs Austin told Carla worriedly, revealing the contents of the inside of the plastic-bag to Carla.

Carla just gasped-in pure-shock at this situation. Never in a million-years did she think that Peter could ever have the guts to get-into this kind-of thing. "Is that what I think it is?!" Carla asked the teacher, becoming tearful as she-did-so.

"Yes I'm afraid that it is Carla…" She trailed-off.

"I'M GONNA KILL HIM!" Carla shouted, lashing-out in pure-anger against Mrs Austin.

"No Carla. I don't think being angry at Peter is going-to solve-this. He needs to know that we will support-him, but only-if he agrees to getting-himself back-on track…..Well…..As-far-back onto the long-old track that Mr Peter Barlow will go anyway….." Mrs Austin trailed-off.

"I don't know how you can be so chilled-out about this Miss….." Carla told Mrs Austin worriedly, but now calmly as she took a deep-breath-in and then out again.

"Because Carla, when I was your-age…..Which I was once believe-it or not…..I had a boyfriend that was quite similar to Peter in many-ways…..His name was Zach…..And I mean, granted he didn't have all the troubles that Peter has got, but he had the same attitude to life…..And he was always getting-himself into trouble…..But my point-is…..Is that this boy got himself addicted to drugs…..And to start with I kicked-off, I shouted at him, I told-him that we couldn't be together whilst he was hooked-onto those drugs…..But that had no-effect, so then I tried the softly, softly approach, and to cut a long-story short, after a few-attempts at this, within a matter of minutes I was holding-him in my arms whilst he cried out floods and floods of tears…..And after-that, he never went near the drugs again…..And yeah I mean…..He got tempted of-course he did…..But we would chat about-it...And he wasn't afraid to tell-me when he was getting tempted, and I would help-him through those temptations. Don't ask how you just learn how to do it...It will be different for Peter than it was for this boy, Zach. Anyway…..That man later asked-me to be his Wife once we had left school…..We got married not-long after-that…..And I'm pleased to say Carla that-that very-man is still my husband to this very-day Carla…..No Drugs…..No Nothing. Just me and him, living happily ever-after….." Mrs Austin truthfully told Carla that story with a small-smile on her face as she finished that extremely-true tale.

"Wow Miss….." Was all that Carla could say.

"Don't give-up on Peter, Carla, he needs you now more than ever….." Mrs Austin gently advised Carla.

"But what if I need him just as much Miss?! And what if I'm not up to the task?!" Carla asked the teacher sadly.

"You are up to it Carla. I know that you are. Just believe-in yourself, and believe-in Peter. I know that you can sort-him-out. And Carla, I have to tell-you, that right-now…..You're probably the only person who can….."

"Why?!" The young-girl asked.

"Because I was forced to phone Betty & Charlie and tell-them about what I had found…..So when I said that Peter is gonna need you now more than ever…..Well I'm afraid that-that was no exaggeration Carla….." The form-tutor told Peter's girlfriend sadly, before she then urged Carla to go and find Peter. Carla questioned about whether she should be missing-school for this or not. But Mrs Austin encouraged-her that this was the right-thing to do, and that Peter was far-more important than school right at this very-moment-in-time…..

* * *

Later-that evening, it was pitch black and it was pouring-it down with rain. Charlie & Peter had just finished having a massive show-down about the whole drugs situation. Betty had tried her best to be more understanding, but Charlie was just having none-of-it. He had practically packed Peter's bags for-him and had then chucked-him-out of the Foster-Home. "If you wanna be a druggie, then you don't belong-here!" Charlie told Peter furiously. "Charlie, don't do this!" Betty cried to him, just begging and begging-him to give Peter one-last chance. "Shut-Up Betty! And as for you Peter, you can get-out you filthy piece of scum!" Charlie shouted, shoving Peter out into the rain, and chucking the bin-bag full-of his stuff out with him.

Peter sunk down to the floor as he sat in the pouring-rain in floods of tears. He could hear Betty shouting at Charlie from the other-side of the door. Pleading with him to let-him back-in, but Charlie soon stormed-out, slamming the door behind-him, completely blanking Peter as he then just walked-off. After a couple of minutes, the front-door opened. It was Betty. She crouched-down beside Peter, who was now absolutely soaked-right-through because of the rain. "Come-On Lad. Let's get you back inside ey?!" Betty gently told Peter.

"No Betty I can't. Charlie will just kick-off again when he comes home again….." Peter cried to Betty.

"But where will you stay?!" Betty asked-him worriedly.

"I'll go to Carla's or something…..I dunno….." Peter told Betty sadly before he then wandered-off.

"Well text-me. And let-me know that you're safe. Okay?!" Betty asked-of Peter.

"I will do Betty…..And Thanks for everything yeah?!" Peter told-her, still crying-himself as he then turned-the corner at the end of the Street and then continued to walk.

* * *

Even later-on that night, on that very-same dark and rainy-old night, Peter was still just aimlessly-wandering around in the rain with the bin-bag that was full-of his stuff just slung-over his shoulder as he struggled to carry the very-heavy-bag. He was surprised that it hadn't even split-open in the very-slightest yet. Peter was just trying to get his head around all of this and pull-all of his thoughts together as he wandered-around the grimy Streets of Weatherfield, and he was about to head to Carla's, when the front-door of a nearby house opened-up.

"Peter?!" Called the familiar voice of Mrs Austin. Peter wandered-over to the house.

"Mrs Austin!" He cried. "I don't know what to do or where to go or…..Help Me…..Please!" He practically begged-her and she sighed in sympathy for the poor-kid.

"Let's get you inside into the warmth ey Peter?! You're absolutely soaked….." Mrs Austin said, taking the heavy-bag from Peter as she welcomed-him inside and then closed the front-door behind-her.

_**Sender: Carla: **__I went 2 Betty & Charlie's. Betty sed u had left. I guess they no wat I no. Where r u darlin?! I'm not angry I promise. Just tell me where u r. I luv u. XXX_

_**Sender: Peter: **__Charlie kicked-off. That's not my home anymore. I don't really have 1 anymore. Mrs Austin and her husband have taken-me in 4 the night. I luv u 2. XXX_

* * *

_**Urm. Wow. Okay. Not sure where that chapter came from! But I hope you still enjoyed-it even though it's long and very-sad! Please-Review!**_


	9. Chapter 9

Mrs Austin, otherwise known as Linda, had managed to calm Peter down just a little-bit as she introduced him to her husband, Zach, who went and fetched a top for Peter to wear just whilst Linda dried the t-shirt that Peter had been wearing, and also the clothes that were in his bag that had gotten themselves absolutely, and completely drenched during the great-downpour of earlier-on.

They had suggested to Peter to invite Carla-over, trying to make things as comfortable and as least-awkward for Peter as was physically possible this-evening. Linda sat-down next to Peter and put her nearest-arm around his shoulders. Zach had disappeared-upstairs to give the two of them some-space to chat alone together. "Are you alright?!" She asked-him softly, noticing that he was still shaking slightly; she was unsure whether this was because he was cold or whether it was because he was just that upset that he couldn't physically stops-himself from doing-so.

"Earlier, at the school…..I thought I was gonna collapse I felt so ill…..And now, I'm thinking that maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad-idea…..Because then at-least I would have been unconscious whilst all the fall-out happened….." Peter told-her shakily, on the brink of allowing more tears to fall from his eyes as there was a knock at the door.

"Oh Peter…..Just wait there a second yeah?! That's probably Carla….." Linda told-him as she then went to answer the front-door.

"Carla. Come-On In." Linda said with a friendly voice as she allowed Carla-in and through to the living-room where Peter was sat on the sofa.

"Thank-You for this Mrs Austin. Really. Thank-You." Carla said before she then walked-on through to the living-room, where Peter was sat with a towel-around his shoulders. Carla sighed-at the sight of her boyfriend…..The very best-friend that she had ever had…..Peter Barlow…..In such a state like that. She wanted to cry, but she knew that right-now, that she had to stay-strong…..For Peter's sake if no-one else's.

"Oh Baby!" She whispered tearfully as she ran-over to him and then wrapped her arms around his shoulders. The normally tough and full of attitude kid had been reduced-down to this nervous, crying and little-boy…..And it was all because of those stupid-drugs! Carla removed the towel from around Peter's shoulders and then gently began to try and dry his soaking-wet hair with it.

"I'm so lost and confused Carla….." He replied to her tearfully.

"Let's not go there now…..You need to rest…..Come-Here….." Carla suggested, as she then gently-pushed-Peter's head-down towards her chest so that it could rest there. "Just close your eyes and just try and forget about everything for a little-while okay?! I'm not going anywhere….." She told-him truthfully as she held-him closely against-him.

"I'm worried about him Carla. I don't know whether we should get-him checked-out at the hospital?!" Mrs Austin quietly question as Peter's eyes gradually began to close shut.

"Not Tonight. Please Miss?! He needs to sleep." Carla said as she then planted the softest of kisses into Peter's short but soft-brown-hair. "I love ya Baby." She told-him truthfully, and it wasn't long until she too had drifted-off on the sofa, along with Peter.

Linda Austin went and fetched a blanket for the both of them to share as they were now cuddled-up to sleep together. She gently threw the blanket over them both and then headed-upstairs to the bedroom that herself and her wonderful husband Zach shared together…..Quickly and shortly afterwards, falling-asleep herself as she soon because comfortable once-again in her Husband Zach's loving-embrace. He was already-asleep when she had arrived-into the bedroom, making-it even easier for to mould herself against the shape that he had made whilst he was just then sleeping...

* * *

The next-morning, Linda Austin had to set-off to work before Peter & Carla had even woken-up, but she had told Zach to make them stay at the house for the day so that Zach could take good-care of them. She had also told-him to ring her if Peter got any-worse.

Carla & Peter both woke-up together around an hour-later, Carla first. She watched Peter sleep and was just pleased that he actually had slept after all of the drama of last-night. She looked-towards the door-of the living-room and found Zach just stood-there looking at them both and smiling at Carla.

"Good Morning!" Zach greeted her with chirpily.

"Morning…..I don't know about the good…..But anyway, thanks for this Mr Austin…..For letting-us stay here. I mean, especially Peter…..You didn't have to do that…..You or Miss….." Carla thanked Zach gratefully as Peter continued to snooze away.

"That's quite alright…..Carla was it?! And by the way you can call me Zach if you want-to…..You're not at school now!" Zach joked with her and she chuckled-just-ever-so slightly as Peter then began to stir from his long-slumber.

It took Peter a couple of seconds to realise where he was and why he was here, and he then just sighed in sadness. "Hey Baby." Carla whispered to him.

"Hiya Mate." Zach then said softly, shooting a warming-smile in both Peter and Carla's directions.

"Hey." Peter replied to the both of them as he then leaned-forwards and rubbed his face with his hands to try and wake-himself-up a bit. "I was kind-of hoping that being-here was just nothing more than a bad-dream….." He admitted to both Carla and Zach, and Carla just sighed.

"Afraid not my darlin'." Carla told-him sadly.

Zach just watched-on as Carla hugged Peter. "Why do I have to be such an idiot?! Why me ey Car?! Why me?!" He told-her, wanting to cry again but he managed to hold them in this time.

"Hey you're not an idiot. Don't say that Peter! You're anything but an idiot! You're a gorgeous-boy who I love more than anything in this whole wide world!" Carla told Peter fairly firmly, this was breaking her already fragile-heart.

"Carla, would you mind popping to the shops around the corner for me?! We're out of milk, bread and butter…..I went over-board on the toast this-morning….." Zach chuckled, but Carla sensed that he wanted to chat to Peter on his own, and she thought that Zach might be able to help Peter, so she just smiled and then nodded-at Zach.

"Of-Course I can. I'll be back soon okay darlin'?!" Carla said, taking the money from Zach and then heading-off out of the house and towards the shops.

* * *

Zach then just looked-at Peter for a second and then walked-over to go and sit next to him. "How are ya feeling mate?!" Zach asked-him sweetly.

"I dunno…..Rough….." Peter trailed-off; the poor-kid struggled with new relationships with anyone, so it would take just that little-bit longer for him to open-up to Zach than it would have done with either Carla or Mrs Austin.

"I'm not surprised Pal. I remember feeling the same myself….." Zach trailed-off.

"What dya mean?!" Peter asked curiously.

"I took drugs myself once Peter…..When I was your age…..They can wreck your life if you're not careful mate….." He warned the kid seriously.

"Yeah well they already have wrecked-my life haven't they?! I mean, I'm 15 Years-Old and I'm already homeless…..Ya know there's only one thing stopping-me from finding more drugs right-now Zach….." Peter began to open-up to the guy a little, finding-out that Zach used to have a drugs-problem was kind-of helping Peter to just connect with him just that little-bit-more.

"Oh Yeah?! And what's that then Mate?!"

"Carla….."

"Do ya love her?!" Zack asked.

"I think so….." Peter answered-Zach nervously.

"Well she certainly loves you Mate….." Zach trailed-off.

"Really?! Dya really think-so Zach?! Because it seemed like she couldn't wait to go to the shops just now….." Peter replied-to Zach's statement.

"That's only because she knew that I wanted to talk to you, to try and make-you open-up to me a bit….." Zach told Peter quietly.

"Oh so that's what this is…..Some kind-of drugs counselling session?! Well thanks but no-thanks Mate….." Peter said, a little-irritably now as he did-so.

"No Peter. I just want to help-you. That's All." Zach replied to Peter truthfully.

"Oh Yeah?! Well some of us are beyond help Pal….." Peter said standing-up and walking towards the front-door, however, as he walked-along the driveway, Carla appeared with the milk, bread and butter.

* * *

"Peter where are you going?!" A worried Carla asked.

"I didn't come here for counselling Carla….." Peter told-her angrily.

"But Peter…..You need help, and that's all that Zach wanted to do…..Was help-you….." Carla trailed-off sadly as he put the bag of shopping down and then walked-along the Street with Peter, struggling to keep-up with his fast and furious pace as she then did-so.

"Yeah well I don't think even the world's best psychologist could sort-me-out Carla…..So I can't stay there anymore….."

"Oh Yeah?! Well where ARE you going-to stay then?!" Carla questioned-him, he would always be welcome at hers but she wasn't going to say that to Peter until he had calmed-down just a little-bit.

"I dunno…..But the street corner seems like the kind-of place that a kid like-me should be right-now….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"What dya mean 'a kid like-me?!'" Carla asked Peter, getting tearful-now as she continued to struggle to keep-up with him, but Peter just picked-up the pace of his walking, meaning that Carla could no-longer keep-up with him. "Peter!" She called sadly, now crying as she stopped-in her tracks and then watched Peter walk-away...

* * *

Peter was crying himself as he walked-away from Carla. He knew deep-down that everyone, including Carla, was only trying to help-him. But he just couldn't deal with all of the sympathy and advice right-now. He just needed to clear his head and then maybe he could begin to get his life back on track.

As Peter wandered through the rough-old Streets of Weatherfield in Manchester, he noticed Shane in the distance, walking-over-to what looked-to be his drug-dealer. Peter was so tempted, all of his heart wanted to just walk-away, but his head was desperate for some more drugs. He thought he had gotten-away without the addiction part of it, but he had no-such luck. Peter craved and craved some more. He waited until Shane had disappeared out of sight, knowing that Shane would give-him grief for getting-himself-caught-out, before he then approached the hooded-man.

"Hey I urm…..I hear you could urm…..Do some deals with me….." Peter told the guy nervously and the guy just nodded-at-him seriously. "Well urm, I haven't got all that much cash on me whatsoever…..But if I give you what I have then could you urm…..Do me a deal?!" Peter asked, and he was now physically shaking with the pure-fear of what he was doing. Peter handed-over every last coin he had to the hooded and obviously drugged-up gangster, before he then exchanged the money for a very small amount of drugs. It was barely anything, but Peter knew that it would be enough to see him through the morning.

Peter then walked-away from the guy, not even thanking-him as the poor and struggling-kid then hid-himself away in a nearby alley-away. He pulled the drugs out from his pocket and then just stared at them. He wanted to, he was desperate to, and every part of his body was craving-the drugs, but as the tears began to stream from Peter's eyes, he just couldn't bring himself to do it all over again. He was violently shaking-now as he struggled to even just hold the bag of white-powder in his hands because he was shaking so much. "No." He told-himself firmly. "NO!" He shouted as he then threw the couple of bags as far as he could away from him and he then sank-down against the wall of the alley-way. Peter just burst into floods of tears as he began to feel sick with fear. He was all alone now and he didn't know where to go next...

* * *

He eventually decided to ring Carla.

_**Carla: **__Peter?! _

_**Peter: **__Carla…..I ne…ed…..h-h-help. – _The poor kid was barely able to speak through his shakes and tears.

_**Carla: **__Peter where are you?! – _Carla asked both her boyfriend and her best-friend in a panic as she was sat with Zach.

_**Peter: **__In the alley-way just off C-c-r-rowns Street. _

_**Carla: **__Okay well just stay there Baby. I'm on my way okay?! _

Zach and Carla then made their way to Peter and Zach rang Linda (Mrs Austin) as they did-so and she quickly-agreed to meet-them there. Luckily, she wasn't teaching at that-time...

* * *

Carla and Zach gradually reached Crowns Street together as Carla then began to search each and every alley-way until they eventually both then found Peter.

"PETER!" She screamed as she saw him slumped-down in the alley-way, his knees brought up to chest, and his head resting on them as he just sat-there and then cried and cried his eyes-out. Carla ran to go and crouch-down next to him, practically throwing her arms around-him as she then held-him closely.

"Peter listen to me. Have you taken anything?!" Carla asked, noticing the white-powder all over the floor in the distance.

"No. I couldn't…..I couldn't b-bring myself to d-do it." Peter cried to Carla, still physically shaking as he slowly looked-up to face her.

"Oh Baby I'm so proud of you. Well-Done. Well-Done Darlin'." Carla told-him positively as she too began to cry as Zach then spoke-up.

"That's Great Peter. Well Done Mate. But I think that we should get you checked-out at the hospital none the less. You're shaking and you're breathing isn't too good." Zach informed Peter both truthfully but sadly as Mrs Austin then arrived-onto the scene. Even she was tearful herself as she linked-arms with Zach.

"Oh Sweetheart….." Linda Austin said to herself as she watched Peter in the horrible kind-of state that he was-in.

* * *

At the hospital, Carla was sat with Peter in one of the A&E Cubicles as one of the Doctors at the hospital checked-him-over. They had given him an oxygen mask to put over his face as his breathing was fairly erratic and Carla rubbed his back soothingly as both herself and the Doctor successfully attempted-to calm-Peter down a little-bit. Zach and Linda both decided to then wait in the waiting-area for the both of the two young-teenagers to re-appear from the Cubicle that they were-in. The Doctor gave Peter a blood-test to check that none of the drugs that he had taken the other-day had affected his blood-stream. He then did some various other quick tests on Peter to make sure that he was fully-okay before he then spoke-up properly.

"Now listen to me Peter, I'm going-to put you in touch with this lady called Barbara Haven. She's a counsellor who works specifically with teenagers who have found themselves with a drug-problem. Now it seems to me that you have gotten-off lucky this-time around. Hopefully Barbara can help you to stay away from drugs for good this-time. She's good at what she does Peter, so make-sure that you listen to her." The Doctor seriously advised Peter as he then handed-over Barbara's business-card to Peter.

"Thanks." Peter said as the Doctor then removed the Oxygen Mask from Peter.

"That's quite alright. Now you're blood-tests will be back in a couple of weeks-time. But seeing as you seem like a fairly healthy lad, I'm sure you'll be okay. Now off you go." The Doctor said with a sweet-smile and Carla then took Peter's hand as she then lead-him out of the curtain-surrounded cubicle.

"I'm so proud of you." Carla told a nervous and quiet Peter, placing a gentle-kiss against his cheek.

"Thank-You." He told-her quietly as they then approached Zach and Linda.

"Peter how are you?!" Zach then asked-him positively.

"I think I'm gonna be okay…..I mean, the Doctor's done some blood-tests on me but he doesn't reckon that there will be anything serious on the results….." Peter told the three of them with a both small but weak smile.

"It's 'cos you're such a fittie!" Carla joked with him, making Peter laugh a little.

"Listen Peter….." Mrs Austin then began to speak-up. "Zach and I have been talking, and well, this is completely-up to you…..Honestly, this is absolutely your decision and your decision only, but we were wondering-if you would agree to myself and Zach fostering-you…..I mean, even if it's just temporarily….." Linda suggested to Peter calmly and Peter thought about-it for a little-while.

"But…..Won't Betty think…..That I've…..Ya know?! Just moved-on and forgotten about her without even a second thought?!" Peter asked nervously.

"Oh my darlin' of-course she won't. Knowing Betty, she will just be glad that you are staying somewhere that's safe and warm." Carla told Peter as she then kissed him on the cheek.

"We'll leave you to think about-it. We'll be in the car." Linda then told Peter and herself and Zach then walked-off leaving Carla and Peter alone.

"No it's okay. We'll walk back. It's not like it's even that far-away from your house is it?!" Peter informed Linda and she nodded-in agreement before she then walked-off with Zach.

Peter then turned to face Carla and leaned-down slightly to gently rest his forehead against Carla's tearfully. "Are you okay?!" She asked-him sweetly as he softly closed-his eyes.

"I miss my parents more than ever….." Peter replied as Carla then watched a single tear fall-down from his eyes and then down-onto his cheeks.

"Oh Sweetheart….." Carla then trailed-off as she hugged Peter tightly; gently kissing him on the lips and then carefully resting her head against his chest...

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_**Please-Review!**_


	10. Chapter 10

A couple of weeks later and Peter had agreed to allow both Zach and Linda Austin to temporarily Foster-Him. His counselling sessions with Barbara Haven had been going really-well and to Carla, Peter was looking much healthier and his head seemed-to be in a much better place than it had been before, or even for the past-couple of years…..

Peter's counselling sessions with Barbara happened immediately after-school every Friday afternoon. Carla, Linda and Zach were all pleased to see that although the sessions were sometimes difficult for Peter, he did eventually feel all the better for-it and he did actually want to go to them, which made a change for the stubborn-old Peter Barlow that everybody knew and sometimes hated and couldn't stand. But this side to Peter Barlow was much more healthy for himself and everyone-else that was involved behind. Despite the fact that Mrs Austin was now Fostering Peter, she was still given-permission, by the school's head, Mr Smith, to be his form-tutor, as he thought that it would be good for Peter. So things were generally going-well as far as Peter's drugs and family-related problems were concerned.

That Friday evening, after the Counselling Session with Barbara, Peter was heading-over to Carla's, which he generally did at the Weekend's now so that the pair of them could have some space together away from the prying-teacher-trained-eyes of Linda Austin and Zach.

Carla answered the door to Peter and after a kiss on the lips invited-him in to come-inside. "Hey you how were ya meeting then?!" Carla asked-him sweetly, Peter knew that Carla was backing-him all the way with this drugs-problem, and Peter really appreciated that deep-down, but he just struggled to show his thanks to her all the time. So tonight he thought he'd try and make the effort to focus just on Carla, rather-than onto his own old problems.

"It was difficult…..But I'll be okay. Anyway, let's forget about me and my troubles for just a minute. How was your day Babes?!" Peter asked-her sweetly.

Carla gently raised her arm to cutely stroke Peter's cheek with her hand as she shyly smiled at him. "My day was very-good thank-you. I'm back-on track with all of the school work that I have missed…..And I went to each-lesson knowing that I didn't have to worry about you for a change." Carla told Peter happily as she toyed with the neck of his t-shirt.

"Oh Yeah?! Well I'm glad about that Carla. You shouldn't have to be worrying about-me all day, every-day should you?! Which is why I want to cook you a meal tonight?" Peter surprised Carla both sweetly and softly.

"Peter Barlow, after all these years and I never knew that you even knew how to use an oven let-alone cook me a whole meal!" Carla said excitably, but partly with some-form of shock being there too!

"Yeah well my Mum was a good-cook wasn't she…..You knew that Carla. And so was my Dad…..Well he wasn't all that bad…..Anyway, it must run in the family or something….." Peter trailed-off with a gentle-smile forming across his lips.

"Dya know what Baby?! I love ya just that little-bit more every-day. You're gorgeous!" Carla told Peter happily and he just quietly chuckled at her.

"Well thanks Babes, but I'm nowhere near as gorgeous as you." He told-her with a cheeky-smile spread all the way across his face.

"Hmmm well that could be questioned!" Carla replied as she then cheekily winked at Peter, and Peter then stuck his tongue out at her in return for the wink.

Around an hour later, and Peter had virtually finished cooking a lovely-looking curry for Carla. He placed the two-plates-full down infront of them both and Carla then immediately took a large-bite. "Mmm. Peter that is DeeeLish!" Carla told-him happily.

"Well I'm glad that you like-it….." Peter trailed-off a little nervously, none of his mates knew that he could cook like that, he didn't want to ruin his 'bad-guy' reputation that he owned, by revealing that little-secret, but he didn't mind Carla knowing all that much. He trusted Carla not to ruin his Street-Cred around-school.

"Hmmm I LOVE It. Thank-You." She thanked-him gratefully as they caught each-other's eyes for just a brief-second and then sweetly smiled at each-other.

Once they had finished eating their meal together, they returned themselves back to the Living-Room, where Carla was sat on Peter's lap, and Peter was then sat onto the sofa underneath Carla. "You're quiet….." Carla said, concerned about-him as she soothingly stroked his cheek.

"Am I?! I'm just thinking that's all….." Peter trailed-off a little-nervously.

"Oh Yeah?! What about?!" Carla asked-him both calmly but yet worriedly all at the same-time.

"My Parents….." Peter told Carla sadly.

"What about them Baby?!" Carla asked-him sensitively.

"About how much they would have loved-you to be my future-girlfriend. And now you are…..It's just a bit weird that's all…..But I knew that they wouldn't want me to be with anyone-else so…..Thank-You." Peter replied to Carla truthfully with a small-smile on his face as he did-so.

"Awww Peter, you don't need to thank-me. And by the way, your parents would be so so SO proud of you, ya know?!"

"Really?! They'd be proud of their drug-addicted, bully of a son would they?!"

"They'd be proud that you've made the effort to conquer all of those troubles. You're doing so well, honestly Peter…..And as for being a bully…..Well…..I know that you're a big massive softie really…..And well…..As-long as I know that…..Then I don't care to much about everyone-else who comes-across you….." Carla then told Peter cheekily as she then hugged-him tightly.

"Hey I ain't no softie!" Peter tried to defend himself but Carla then just giggled-at him before she then decided to test him by placing a long and meaningful kiss onto his lips. "Mmm." He groaned in pleasure as she then continued to kiss-him, their tongues exploring each-others mouths as they did-so. The kiss continued for a couple of minutes or so before Carla then gently pulled-away from Peter and then rested her own forehead against Peter's forehead. "I Love You So Much." Peter sweetly whispered to her, but this just made Carla laugh.

"Ya See?! You're soft. The big and hard Peter Barlow is one HUGE Softie!" Carla teased-him as his cheeks then began to turn a little-red at the very thought of that very-statement that had come from Carla.

"I Am Not!" He chuckled as he then continued to try and defend-himself as his cheeks then began to turn redder and redder by the very-second.

"Awww don't be like that. I like Peter 'The Softie' Barlow. He's dead cute." Carla told Peter playfully.

"Yeah well some people deserve that softness…..Not many people though…..Infact, only you get to see the real-me." Peter told Carla truthfully.

"I'm Flattered now come-here." Carla told-him cheekily before she then kissed-him on the lips once-again.

The weekend was soon-over and before Peter and Carla knew-it, they were back in their form-room as Mrs Austin, or Linda as she was known-as outside of school, approached the newly-happy-couple. "Heya Peter. Did you and Carla have a good-weekend together?!" Mrs Austin asked Peter in a rather Motherly Fashion.

"Yeah it was great thanks." Peter replied with a sweet-smile on his face as he did-so. Mrs Austin then rubbed Peter's shoulder in a Motherly-Loving kind-of a way.

"I'm glad to hear-it. How was your counselling-session on Friday?!" She asked-him, generally interested-in how he was doing, which Peter was glad-about. It's been a long-time since an adult had been so genuinely concerned about Peter, so now Peter really appreciated that kind-of adult support like-that these-days.

Peter sighed as he processed her question. Friday's session was really tough-on poor Peter and he wasn't quite ready to talk to Mrs Austin, or Linda as he called-her, about that subject yet. "It was tough." Peter told her truthfully.

"Okay….." Mrs Austin trailed-off, not wanting to pressure-the poor-kid into talking-any-further-on about this counselling-session.

As Mrs Austin then headed-back to her desk, Kyle walked-into the classroom, he had been standing-in the doorway as he watched and listened-in on her conversation with Peter & Carla, he had also noticed the brief squeeze of Peter's shoulder. He smirked as he approached Peter. "Alright ya little teacher's pet?!" He taunted Peter. "Don't think I didn't see ya. Getting all cosy with Miss just-now. Ya know what Peter, you think you're all hard! But you're just a pathetic little teacher's pet aren't ya?! What is it ey Peter?! Dya fancy her do ya?!" Kyle continued to pick-on Peter as Peter had then had-enough as he stood-up to be face to face with Kyle, stamping-his-foot down loudly as he did-so, his chair also flying-backwards as he then finally lost.-his-temper, but he refused to shout.

"You have no-idea what you're talking about Kyle so just leave-it alright?!" Peter warned Kyle angrily but through gritted-teeth, not wanting to shout-in the classroom infront of Carla & Mrs Austin all-over-again.

"No why should I?! You're just a little weakling Peter. You're just weak Peter! You're WEAK!" Kyle shouted-at poor-Peter, laughing-right-into his face as he did-so.

"Shut-Up Kyle I'm warning-you!" Peter threatened Kyle seriously as Carla then stood-up, placing her hand against the front of Peter's shoulder to try and calm-him down and prevent-him from punching-Kyle. This then caught Mrs Austin's attention, and she was tempted-to intervene, after-all, Peter was now essentially her Foster-Son. But she didn't want to make-things any worse for him, so she chose to leave-it to Carla unless there was any violence carried-out.

"You're WARNING Me Are Ya Now?!" Kyle chuckled-at Peter with an evil-smirk growing-onto his-face.

"Yeah I Am!" Peter replied.

"Pft. What ya gonna do to me?! Because errr…..Your favourite teacher is just over-there…..And you wouldn't want to upset her now would ya Pal?!"Kyle whispered to Peter.

"Leave-him alone Kyle!" Carla tried to help Peter out. She felt sorry for her boyfriend. He didn't deserve the grief he got from both James and now Kyle and sometimes the rest of their little-gang. Peter may have been a troubled-kid, but those kids certainly weren't helping-him to get any better.

"No! I Won't! And urm, Peter, if you even think about dobbing-me into your precious teacher over-there, then urm, some trouble might be coming-into ya lover-girls way. Have you got that Mate?!" Kyle practically threatened-Peter, causing Peter to then roughly gran Kyle by the collars of his shirt.

"Don't you DARE hurt Carla!" Peter told Kyle, being-all protective over his girlfriend, which Carla appreciated, but she was worried that Peter would only make things worse for himself by answering-back to Kyle's threats with violence.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Kyle shouted as he then violently shoved Peter backwards, causing-him to fall-over the chair that was behind-him and he then eventually ended-up on the floor.

Mrs Austin then felt the need to go-over as Kyle casually strolled-out of the classroom. She would deal with him later-on. Carla then helped Peter back-up to his feet as Mrs Austin then approached them both. "Are you okay Peter?!" A concerned Mrs Austin asked her newly-taken-in Foster-Son.

"Does it look like I'm okay?!" Peter asked-her angrily.

"Do you want to chat about-it?!" She kindly offered to Peter.

"No I Do Not want to 'chat' about-it! Ya know Miss, I may be living with you now, and I appreciate everything that you have done for-me recently. But you're not my Mother and you never will-be. Because MY Mother…..And infact, my Father too, is DEAD! So just leave-me alone okay?!" Peter told-him, but Mrs Austin knew that Peter was only angry because-of what Kyle had just said to him, so she let-it pass her by just for now.

Mrs Austin then returned to her desk and Carla & Peter both then sat themselves back-down together. "Just ignore what Kyle said sweetheart." Carla tried to re-assure-him.

"Dya know what I could do with right-now Carla?! I could do with getting completely-off-of my head on drugs, and right-now, I wouldn't care too much what it did to me!" Peter said, and the shakes in his arms began to return as he strongly-craved the drugs that he had so desperately tried to conquer and give-them-all-up for-good.

"You don't mean that Peter." Carla told-him confidently.

"No I don't mean that. I'm sorry." Peter replied to Carla as she then gently took both-of his hands into her own and squeezed them tightly, shooting-him a re-assuring smile.

"It's all gonna be okay Baby…..Hey you're shaking?!" She asked-Peter, both of face and her voice full-of concern as she did-so.

"That's what happens when I'm desperate for some drugs…..It's like I have no-control over-it." Peter then revealed to Carla both truthfully and quietly.

"Oh Come-Here Sweety-Pie." Carla told-Peter gently, hugging-him tightly as she then placed a soft kiss into his hair. "You don't need the drugs Peter. Because I'm here for ya…..And I'm going to try my best to make everything better for ya okay?!" She softly tried to re-assure-him as Peter then looked Carla into the eyes.

"I Love You So Much Carla." He then whispered-to her as her hands then rested-against his shoulders.

"Awww I Love You Too." She said as she then sweetly stroked his cheek with her fingers.

"But I don't wanna let-you down…..And I'm afraid that I will….." Peter then told-Carla nervously.

"As-long as you're 100% completely honest with me Peter, then you could never let-me down. Okay Babes?!" Carla gently re-assured Peter as she then softly ran her fingers through his hair.

"I don't deserve-you Carla." Peter replied.

"Yes you do. And I couldn't have asked for a better-boyfriend if I'd have even tried." Carla responded, and Mrs Austin then watched-on with a smile on her face from her desk as the couple then both lovingly and meaningfully kissed-each-other on the lips.

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_**This will be the last-update for a week as I am going-on holiday and I won't have access to the laptop! But will be back-soon! (: Please keep the reviews coming-in! I love reading-them! (:**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**So I'm back and I thought that it was time for a happier chapter! Just to remind-you that Mrs Austin is infact Linda Austin. It depends whether she is at school or not to whether I use her actual name or her teachers-name.**_

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A month had passed now and Peter was doing so well, his Parent-to-Son type-of relationship with the Austin's had really blossomed recently, and the counselling seemed to really help Peter to sort his head out and remain calm in those sticky situations that he had to face on what was practically a daily-basis…..Well…..He stayed calmer than he would have done previously anyway…..

It was the weekend and it was Carla's turn to stay at Peter's. They stayed at each-others houses on alternate weekends, it was only fair on the parents to take-it in turns to go-around and stay-over. Peter awoke that Saturday morning, feeling refreshed and happy for the first time in what was a very-long-time for Peter. He came downstairs having just had a shower and greeted Carla with a sweet-kiss on the lips, only wearing a pair of shorts and nothing else.

"Oh good morning!" Carla said, amused by Peter wandering around the house half-naked as he rubbed the towel over his head to dry it slightly, when he had finished doing-so it was all spikey, and Carla found-it quite cute.

"Morning!" He told-her. "Were you waiting for me long?!" He asked-her with a sweet-smile on his face.

"Nah only about half an hour. You were flat-out when I woke-up so I thought I'd let you have a lie-in." She told-him happily as he then sat-down onto the sofa next to Carla, gently kissing her on the lips as Linda & Zach Austin then waltzed into the room, acting as jolly as ever.

"Hiya you two. Listen, Zach & I thought we'd have a picnic in the park if you both wanted to join us?!" Linda kindly asked-them-both, and Carla laughed as Peter mumbled something into her ear, obviously not wanting to go, so Carla decided to be a tease.

"Awww we'd love to go thank-you Mrs Austin!" She told-her happily and Peter just sighed in mock-disapproval as he buried his head into Carla's neck, making her giggle at him some-more.

"You can call-me Linda outside of school Carla, Peter does and you're his girlfriend, so I don't see any reason why you shouldn't either! But it's Mrs Austin when we're in school though!" Linda told Carla happily, and she smiled and then nodded-in agreement with her teacher.

"Okay I will do." Carla replied as Zach smiled at them both and then spoke-up.

"Great. Well we'll leave you to get yourselves up and ready. Especially you Peter." Zach chuckled at the kid before the married-couple then headed-outside together, leaving Carla & Peter to chat in the living-room together...

* * *

"Carla! We could have had some time-alone together….. " Peter moaned to Carla.

"And done what exactly Peter?! Laze around on the sofa all day?! Boorrinnggg!" Carla teased.

"Well no I was thinking of something a bit more interesting than that….." He replied as he began to kiss Carla on the neck, and Carla just gasped-in shock at his suggestion.

"But Peter! Neither of us are even 16 yet!" Carla told-him seriously, but she couldn't help but smile at the disappointed look-on his face.

"That didn't stop Kyle! Him and his girlfriend have done-it loads of times! And he won't stop bragging about it either….." Peter told Carla truthfully, annoying himself at just the very mention-of Kyle the bully's name.

"Oh Baby, you don't need to try and keep-up with Kyle! He's an idiot! And besides, the best things come to those who wait….." Carla told Peter teasingly. "Now go and put a t-shirt on will ya?!" She ordered-him and he nodded-disappointingly.

"Okay….." He said as he trotted-off to go and fetch a t-shirt, and Carla just chuckled-at his disappointment.

* * *

They had soon reached the park and were sat with Zach and Linda eating their picnic's down on the blankets together…..

"So Peter how's your counselling going then?!" Linda asked, generally interested-in Peter's well-being and mental-state at the moment.

"Yeah it's going great thanks. Barbara is amazing and she totally just gets me ya know?!…..But I couldn't have done-it without you three so thanks…..Really…..All three of you" Peter said, being serious for just a moment…..

"Hey no-need to thank-us mate. It's you putting all the hard-work-in." Zach told-him with a friendly-voice.

"Yeah you've worked-hard. I'm proud-of you Peter." Linda told-him happily.

"Me too!" Carla added-onto the end of Linda's sentence with a cheeky smile on her face as she then kissed Peter on the cheek.

"Hey listen you two. - You guys can go off and have some fun in the sunshine if you want too, we'll meet you back by the car at 5pm okay?! And you can ring-us if you want-to meet-up earlier than that….." Zach kindly suggested to both Peter & Carla, and Peter then just smiled widely at Zach as he then stood-up, dragging Carla along with him, by her hand, as they then headed-off into the woods together...

A few minutes later, and both Peter & Carla were totally emersed into the forest and Carla wondered where on earth Peter had taken her to. "Peter where are we going?!" She asked-him amongst all of the giggling.

"Here." Peter replied as they arrived into a small-circular area that was surrounded-by trees.

"Where even are we?! And don't say in the forest!" Carla questioned Peter as she looked-around the circular little-place that was completely and utterly surrounded by huge and large trees. Peter began to reply to Carla's question, both of them a little-out of breath from all of the running and giggling together at the same-time.

"This is a little-hiding place in the forest that me and my Mum found when I was just little…..We were playing hide & seek…..It took my Dad hours to find-us…..I was only about 5…..It was the best-time-of my life….." Peter sweetly revealed to Carla as she then both gently and slowly forced-him back against a nearby tree.

"That's sweet Baby." Carla said as she softly stroked his cheek several-times with her cold-ish fingers.

"I've never brought-anyone here before…..I didn't want to spoil the happy-memories…..But being here with you is just perfect Carla….." He told-her in a very-cute & adorable-way and she sweetly-smiled-at-him before she then leaned-in to meaningfully kiss him in the lips, closing her eyes as she did-so.

The seriousness lasted-for about 10 Seconds, before Peter then pulled-away from the kiss, chuckling as he then ran-on to the next tree and began to climb-it. "Catch-me if you can!" He called to Carla as he made-his way up to the first big-branch of the tree, reverting to his 5 Year-Old-Self once-again as he chuckled-away.

"Peter there's no way I can get up there! Not in this skirt!" Carla told-him.

"Yes you can! I'll help you!" Peter said as he then leaned-his arm-down to help Carla, but he ended-up falling-out of the tree and landing-onto the ground hard onto his back. "OW!" He called-out as Carla then gasped-in pure-shock as she then quickly ran-over to him.

"Peter are you okay?!" Carla asked-him worriedly as she then crouched-down beside-him worriedly, and she was relieved when she saw Peter smile at her and then let-out a mischievous chuckle.

"Carla I'm absolutely fine!" He giggled as Carla then rested her head against his solid-chest.

"My muscly boyfriend….." She told-him cutely as she then tapped her hands against his rock-solid stomach.

"Too Right….." Peter then chuckled.

Carla then turned-serious for a moment as she brought her head-up and then looked-at Peter's lips, then shifting her vision to his eyes before she then looked-back to his lips. She did this a few-times before the couple then eventually began to kiss each-other passionately, Peter still led-on his back against the hard, rocky and muddy ground of the forest with Carla led on-top of him as the kiss grew more and more heated and intimate by the second...

* * *

After a couple of minutes, the kissing and the fumbling came to a natural-end as Carla then just smiled-up at Peter, both of their clothes ruffled-up slightly from all of the fumbling. She just giggled at him before she then rested her head against his chest once-more.

"We should probably get up or we're gonna get all mucky….." Peter told Carla with a cheeky-chuckle.

"Ah well ya know what they say…..Dirty Clothes, Dirty Mind….." Carla teased-him.

"No-One's ever said that!" He replied as they then stood-up together.

"Whatever….." She mocked as she followed Peter's actions with the standing-up.

"Whateverrr!" Peter imitated-her, making Carla laugh as he put on a girly voice. She then walked-over to him and hugged-him as she laughed.

"Oh Baby if the people at school could see this side to you then I'm sure that they would absolutely love you!" Carla told-him truthfully, with a little-smile on her face, but she meant-it seriously all the same and Peter could tell-that.

"Babes, if I acted like that at school then I'd probably get a fat-lip and a black-eye….." He replied to her as they walked-along through the forest together, hand-in-hand.

"No you wouldn't! Peter you don't have to put on that hard-act at school ya know?! You're a lovely, friendly, and pretty darn-fit guy without all of the threats and the bullying. Just be yourself." Carla told-him in a calm and soft-manner and peter just smiled at her weakly before he then looked-down.

"Well I'm glad you think so….." He said with a frown.

"Yes I certainly do think-so. Now cheer-up. We're not at school now remember! It's the weekend!" She told-him positively, walking-behind-him ever-so slightly so that she could wrap her arms around his stomach from behind. "Now come-on you, let's play hide-and-seek. Bagsy not it!" Carla said, before she then ran-off childishly, making Peter laugh hysterically.

"What are you?! Like. 7 Years Old?!" Peter laughed-at her.

"No I'm 15! Now are ya counting?!" She called from a distance, completely out of sight from Peter now. Peter just sighed, realising that he was going-to have to play this game whether he liked-it or not.

"Ready or not here I come!" He shouted sarcastically as he then ran-off to go and find Carla...

* * *

Later on that warm-sunny-evening Carla & Peter went to go and meet Linda & Zach Austin again, at 5pm, as they had arrange with them-both. They were both sat on the blankets waiting for the two young teenagers…..Although they had been behaving more like kids this afternoon. The childhood-sweethearts had-had the time of their lives together out-there in the forest, and Linda was just pleased to see the both returning back to herself and Zach both with massively-cheeky-grins on their faces.

"Peter that's the biggest smile I've seen on your face in a long-time!" Linda told-him happily, proud that Peter had come-on so-far since he had been living with her.

"I've never had a good-enough reason to smile before now….." Peter replied-with sweetly as he then lovingly-looked-at Carla with those glistening-eyes of his that everyone-absolutely-adored.

"Hmmm…..Apparently Peter's favourite game is hide & seek!" Carla teased-him.

"Oh is it now?!" Linda asked cheekily as her herself and Zach then just chuckled at both Carla & Peter.

"Blame my parents!" Peter quietly giggled and Linda just smiled-at him.

"Well I'm glad you two have both had a good-time this-afternoon!" Zach told-the both of them as they looked lovingly-into each-others' eyes.

"It's been the best!" Carla replied as Linda and Zach Austin then began to walk-on ahead-of an obviously loved-up Carla & Peter...

* * *

"Thank-You." Peter told Carla as they strolled-along quietly together.

"What For?!" Carla asked-him shyly.

"The last-time I was truly happy was when my parents were still-alive when I was just a 9 Year-Old-Kid…..And I never thought I'd be able to truly smile again once they had died…..I mean, I've faked smiles an awful-lot recently…..And I became quite good at faking things and pretending that everything was okay when it really wasn't…..But today, you made me truly smile…..And I've never felt as safe, as loved and as happy as I did when I was with you today. So thank-you Carla." Peter told-her, getting quite emotional as he did-so.

"I'm glad I make you happy…..I love ya Peter….." Carla replied sweetly as she then looked-up into Peter's eyes. Peter was just about to respond, when they heard the voice of Zach, shouting from across the car-park.

"OY! You two love-birds! Come-On! Hurry-Up!" Zach joked with them both and they then chuckled with each-other as they shared a short-kiss on the lips together before heading-back-over to Zach & Linda...

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_**SO! Coming-Up…..**_

* * *

_**Peter discovers some self-worth through a new-hobby/talent…..**_

_**Carla wants to support Peter in his new-found hobby/talent but worries about where the potential paths could lead-to…..**_

_**Peter begins to rise-above James, Kyle and the other-bullies, but how will he react when they turn-on Mrs Austin?!**_

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_**Please-Review! (:**_


	12. Chapter 12

The weekend was soon over for the family, which meant that Peter & Carla were back to school, along with Linda, who was now 'Mrs Austin' to both Carla & Peter. Their year had an assembly that morning as there was a new opportunity being brought to the school.

They were all sat on chairs in the main hall as the video began to play. They watched the advertisement, before the guy began to speak. "Alright guys, so Weatherfield's local boxing-gym has decided to reach-out to all of the local schools, so we're gonna be launching a boxing group here at Weatherfield High, we'll be in the sports hall every day after-school this week for anyone who is interested." The man continued to speak before Mrs Austin then took over.

"This is a great opportunity for all of you, not just the boys, and the girls aswell. Those play fights that we have banned you from doing in the school field can now be turned into professional training. I would encourage you all to take up this opportunity!" Mrs Austin then told the whole year enthusiastically as Peter chuckled-at her.

"Any old idiot can throw a punch Miss!" He loudly heckled-her, and Mrs Austin tried to ignore-him. Carla wasn't sat next to him today so she couldn't stop him from doing such things.

"Oh ya think-so do ya pal?!" The boxing-man asked Peter, having picked-him out from the crowd of excitable teenagers. "Dya think you could pack a decent punch?!"

"Yeah I do as it happens!" Peter told-him confidently.

"Then why don't you come down to the sports hall after school and prove-it to me!" The guy told Peter, just trying to show a bit-of friendly banter with the over-confident teenager.

"I don't need to prove anything to you mate! Besides, who wants to go to some amateur's school boxing-club?!" Peter laughed as the whole of his year watched-him answer-back to this big boxing-dude.

"Peter that's enough now!" Another teacher warned Peter, but Mrs Austin remained quiet.

"Pft…..Whatever….." Peter told the teacher rudely. "It's just cos ya fancy his muscles isn't it Miss?!" He embarrassed the teacher as Carla just sighed Peter from a few-rows away. She had to admit it had been funny to begin with but he was going-to get himself into trouble if he wasn't careful, and trouble was the last-thing that Peter needed right-now. He had only just cleared-his name. Luckily for Peter, the teacher decided to leave-it there for-now.

* * *

After the assembly had finished, Carla went to catch-up with Peter. "Oy! What was all of that about Mister?!" She asked-him fairly firmly.

"The guys needed taking down a peg or two. He thought he was well hard and cool with his bulging muscles…..But he's not all that…..Let's just say that I wouldn't need much training to put him into hospital….." Peter told Carla as they walked-along the corridor together.

"Ah so you admit that you'd need some-kind-of training to beat-him then!" Carla teased-him.

"Now that wasn't what I said was it now?!….." Peter asked Carla as he then gently pushed Carla towards the closest-wall seductively. "But can think of something-else that would get me hot and sweaty….." He told-her as he then began to kiss Carla's neck, slowly lowering his kisses towards her chest as he did-so, not caring that people were watching-them as they walked-past, but Carla cared.

"Peter get-off-of me!" She laughed as she pushed-him away by his shoulders. "Why are you so obsessed with sex recently?!" She asked-him cheekily.

"Because I'm a teenage boy who is almost 16…..That's why…..We go through these phases….." Peter told-her as he tried to kiss her on the neck again, but this-time Carla stopped-him before his lips had even-reached-her extremely soft-skin.

"Yeah well you're going to have to be patient…..Because even-though you're 16 in a couple of weeks' time…..I'm not 16 for another three months…..And besides…..I've told-ya that I want to wait!" Carla teased-Peter as she then placed a gentle-peck onto Peter's soft and needy lips.

"Fine…..So dya recon that I should go to this boxing-thing then?!" Peter asked-her. "Prove them wrong and all that?!"

"No I do not! You'd either end-up in hospital…..Again! Or Prison!" Carla joked with him as she then playfully slapped-him on the arm, but she was serious about Peter not going. She would rather avoid Peter going to places such-as that where Carla could foresee trouble lingering for him if he wasn't deadly-careful about what he said and did.

"Fine…..Anyway listen, I've got counselling later so I won't be back at Linda & Zach's until a bit later-this-evening." Peter informed her calmly.

"Okay. Well just give-me a ring when you get home alright?! I've got some coursework to do anyway, so it's probably best if I stay at home tonight." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Okay then. Ya goody-two-shoes." He teased-her in a sweet-way so that she knew that he was only-joking.

"Oy!" Carla pretended-to be mock-shocked at Peter's dig.

"I'm only messing. Love ya!" Peter said before he then wandered-off to find some of his mates.

"You too Baby." Carla told-him and she then smiled as she then watched-him walk-off into the distance of the long-corridor. She was so happy with Peter at the moment and she loved-him more than she thought she could ever-love anyone! And Carla knew that they were both still very-young to be talking-love…..But as-long as Peter stayed-away from those drugs and kept his head clear with the counselling then she could see no-reason why the couple shouldn't go all the way...

* * *

During lunchtime that day, Kyle & his little-gang came-across Mrs Austin as they were wandering around the school together.

"Yo Miss! What's this deal with you and Peter then?!" Kyle asked the teacher rather intrusively as he got-up in her face.

"That's none of your business Kyle!" Mrs Austin told-the-young-lad firmly as she attempted to protect Peter and his private-home-life the best she could from this group of bullies.

"I think you'll find it is my business Miss! I'm Peter's class-mate, I have the right to know if you're favouring him over-us lot…..Infact…..I could complain if you are Miss!" Kyle told Mrs Austin threateningly, but she wasn't scared, the school knew about Peter's position with her and that he lived with her, so she had nothing to worry-about as-far as Kyle and his friends' complaints were concerned.

"I don't think I've treated you any differently compared to Peter, Kyle. I agree that I have had to talk-to Peter a lot recently, but I think it would be unfair to say that I have been neglecting-you guys because of it." Mrs Austin reasoned with Kyle.

"Oh Yeah?! Well you've probably guessed-by now that I don't like Peter all that much…..Infact…..I blooming hate-him! And I know that whilst you're at this-school, then I can't get to Peter…..So I'm gonna do everything I can to get-rid of you! Have you got that Miss?!" Kyle evilly-taunted the stern-looking-teacher.

"Threatening a teacher now are we young Kyle?! I could get you permanently expelled on the spot for that." Mrs Austin replied to Kyle's taunts, obviously completely unphased by Kyle's threats to her. She knew her position as a teacher and she knew that she did her job 100% professionally.

* * *

Later that day and school had just finished. This boxing-club had been playing on Peter's mind all-day…..He desperately wanted to go, but he didn't want to look uncool by going back on his word that he had-said in assembly this-morning. He walked past the sports-hall as he headed-towards the exit of the school, and couldn't help but pop-in to see what was going-on.

Peering through the closed-doors, Peter could see that they had a boxing-ring put-up and people seemed to be sparring-in-it. He was extremely tempted to go on through to the large-and echoey room, but he had so much pride that he was almost scared-too.

He eventually convinced himself that it was worth going-in, even if it was just to tease the people that were there! "Alright Lad?!" The guy greeted him with; it was the same-guy that had taken the assembly this morning. "Decided to come and have a look then?!" He asked-Peter calmly, not judging him whatsoever for his teasing in assembly earlier-on that day.

"Just to have a look though mind...But Yeah…..You won't get me boxing though pal!" Peter warned the guy. "What's your name anyway?!" He asked-him curiously.

"Luke." He revealed to Peter, holding his hand out for him to shake, and Peter did-so straight-away.

"Peter." He then introduced-himself.

"Good to finally meet-ya properly mate. Listen pal, that's quite a firm hand-shake you've got there…..Why not come and have a go at some of the stuff we've got set-up?!" Luke asked Peter, referring to the punch-bags that were just around the corner.

"Errr…..I've got stuff to do…..Places to be….." Peter tried to excuse-himself, thinking of his counselling meeting that he had with Barbara pretty-soon.

"Oh yeah…..What like?!" Luke asked, but that bit of news was something that Peter didn't fancy sharing with someone who was little more-than a stranger to him at the moment…..It had taken a lot for Peter to even just admit-it to Carla that he needed-to get himself some-help, but there was no-way that he was telling Luke that he attended regular counselling-sessions, he was too afraid of sounding-soft.

Peter sighed in defeat. "Nothing….." He replied. "But I'm hardly dressed for-a full-on fight….."

"Ah we'll start you on the punch-bags for today pal….." Luke told Peter as he then placed his hand onto Peter's shoulder and then pointed-him into the direction of the punch-bags.

* * *

Peter put-on a pair of boxing-gloves and then got to work on them immediately. To start-with, he was still a little-bit self-conscious just in-case Kyle or anyone like that came-in and started teasing-him and picking-on-him again…..Not to mention the fact that Carla was wary about-him going to this boxing-thing in the first-place…..And then there was the fact that he was missing counselling for this…..

But Peter soon began to put all of that to the back of his mind and got to work on the punch-bag, and Luke had to admit that he was impressed by Peter's natural-talent. Luke then went and caught the punch-bag as Peter punched-it backwards one-final time. "Woah. Nice-One Peter Mate." A surprised Luke told Peter.

"So are you impressed then?!" Peter asked-him.

"Just a little-bit yeah. You should keep-this-up Pal, you could be brilliant!" Luke encouraged-him and Peter tried to hide his smile, which Luke had noticed. "You are allowed to be proud of yourself ya know Pal?!" He told-him kindly.

"Sorry…..It's just…..Well…..I've never really been all that good at anything-else before…..Well apart from attracting bad-luck and trouble maybe….." Peter trailed-off nervously to Luke.

"Hey I'm sure that's not true Pal…..And well…..I happen to think you've got a lot of potential with this. How do ya feel?!" Luke asked-him curiously.

"I feel relaxed?!" A very-confused Peter replied.

"Yeah punch-bags can do that Pal…..Take all your frustrations out on a punch-bag and you'll never have to get yourself into a scrap ever-again….." Luke told Peter truthfully, he could sense just by the way that Peter was with him that the poor-lad had a lot-of troubles, but Luke had rather-taken to the wayward-kid and he wanted to give-him something to do that he could be proud-of himself with.

* * *

Peter then said his goodbyes to Luke and then began to head-home with a smile on his face. He checked-his phone quickly to find that he had 3 Missed-Calls and then a text from Carla.

_**Carla: **__Just had a call from Linda. Her & Zach r worried about ya. Barbara rang them. Sed u didn't turn up 4 counselling. Y not an not at home? XXX_

_**Peter: **__Sorry Babes. Got distracted. XX_

_**Carla: **__Distracted? Baby. – Counselling is important. XX_

_**Peter: **__I no it is…..XX_

_**Carla: **__Rite, where r u?! I'm coming 2 c u…..XX_

_**Peter: **__Meet me in the park. XX_

* * *

Carla did as Peter said so, and the couple embraced each-other with a hug. "Where have you been?!" Carla asked-him softly, she wasn't angry with him, she was just concerned as to why he hadn't been to counselling when everything had been going-so well for him recently…..

"Do you really want to know?!" Peter asked-her with a nervous-sigh.

"Yes I Do." She told-him as they headed-towards the swings together and then Peter sat-on one of them as Carla sat-herself down onto his lap. Peter then wrapped his arms tightly around Carla's stomach to keep her safe as they gently swung back and forth, back and forth continuously.

"I went to that Boxing Club thing….." Peter told Carla truthfully.

"What?! Even after you took the mickey out of him this-morning?!" Carla asked-him calmly, but still slightly worriedly.

"Yeah but that was just a bit of friendly-banter…..He's a really decent guy Carla…..And he reckons that I could be really good at Boxing if I kept-it up…..It made me feel really amazing Carla….." Peter explained-to Carla sweetly as he placed-one-of the softest-of kisses onto Carla's cheek from behind. Carla then stood-herself-up so that she could be face-to-face with Peter, standing inbetween his legs as she placed her hands against his shoulders.

"Well that sounds great Baby. But I don't want you missing anymore counselling sessions for it okay?! And also, are you sure it's good for you to be getting yourself involved-with such-a violent sport?!" Carla then asked Peter worriedly.

"It's violent yeah babes, but it's better that I take my frustrations out under controlled circumstances with a referee in charge, than in a scrap on the Street surely?!" Peter told Carla sweetly as he rested-his hands against her waist.

"Well I suppose-so…..Just go careful yeah?! I don't wanna go back to where we were a few-months back okay?! That was a dark-place and I never want to have to go back there ever-again!" Carla told Peter, softly but seriously at the same-time.

"Baby, it's gonna take a lot to tempt-me to back there again okay?! And hey…..Who knows I might actually get somewhere with this whole boxing thing….." Peter trailed-off, a little-smile creeping-onto his face as he thought back to what Luke had told-him earlier about being impressed with his skills when he was on the punch-bag.

"Okay. Now you best-be getting-off home. The Austin's were worried about ya when they rang-me earlier-on….." Carla told Peter as she then placed a sweet-kiss onto his lips.

"Alright I'll go straight back there I promise. See you tomorrow."

"Bye-Bye."

* * *

_**Please-Review!**_

_**- Do you think Boxing could be good for Peter or bad for him?**_

* * *

_**Coming-Up...**_

_**- Peter finds a good-friend in Luke, and the pair become close-pals. **_

_**- Carla is pleased for Peter as he makes good-progress with the Boxing, but will hsi new hobby and his new friendship with look make Carla feel lonely and neglected by Peter?!**_

_**- Mrs Austin (Linda) is concerned when Peter becomes increasingly tired throughout the school-day.**_

* * *

_**What do ya think?! **_


	13. Chapter 13

**Some more reviews would be greatly appreciated guys! Basically, if you read this chapter, or any other chapter, then review it! (:**

* * *

A week-later, and school absolutely whizzed by for Peter, and he rushed straight down to the Sports Hall to meet Luke once-again. He bumped-into Carla in the corridor, they had been in different lessons all day, so they had only seen each-other at break & lunchtimes.

"Hey You!" Carla said excitably as Peter stopped-infront of her, so she hugged-him tightly.

"Hey….." Peter said, clearly in a rush to get to down to the Boxing-Club, but he didn't want to make Carla feel like he didn't want to see her, because he did, he really did.

"How was Maths?!" She asked-him kindly, knowing that Peter didn't exactly get-along with his Maths teacher.

"Hmf, it was alright…..Sir was in a mood with me as per usual….." He grunted.

"Oh well I was wondering….." Carla began as she wrapped her arms around Peter's neck, linking her hands at the back as she gently stroked the back of his hair. "If you wanted to come-back to mine afterwards….." She trailed-off flirtatiously.

"What happened to waiting?!" Peter asked-her wittily, desperate to get to Boxing, but not wanting to tell Carla that. She still came before Boxing, and if she really needed-him then he would drop-it for her straight-away, but today he really wanted to be there.

"I wasn't on about Sex Peter!" Carla told-him with a little-giggle.

"Oh…..Well good…..'Cos…..I've got…..Stuff to do…..Boxing….." _'That could have been put better'_…..Peter thought to himself as Carla continued to smile at him, but inside she was frowning, was that all he wanted from her?!...Sex?!

"Okay….." Carla told-him fake-happily, pretending to be fine-about everything when she really wasn't. She knew that Peter wouldn't have meant it like that…..But it was how he had made her feel that really mattered…..Even though he may not have meant-too….."I guess I'll be seeing-ya tomorrow then?!" She asked-him softly.

"You certainly-will…..And hey, maybe I could come-round tomorrow?! If that's okay with you?!" Peter asked-her sweetly as he placed the gentlest of kisses onto her cheeks.

"Of-Course it's okay. You have fun at Boxing. But don't hurt yourself!" Carla told-him with a fake-smile on her face, as she then kissed-him on the lips before she then began to walk-off. As soon as Peter was out of sight, Carla frowned. She couldn't help but thinking that the only real reason Peter didn't want to come with her was because she wanted to wait until their 'first-time' together, and he couldn't get his own way.

Peter, however, was none the wiser about Carla's thoughts, and in his own-mind, he certainly wasn't with Carla just for sex, he was with her because she was his best-friend, and he loved-her more than he could ever-love anyone in his whole-entire life.

* * *

Carla had soon arrived-home and quietly went straight-upstairs, and then through to her bedroom. She sat on her bed, unable to clear these thoughts from her head. She was sure that Peter didn't mean to make her feel this-way, but he had-done and she felt-horrible. Curling-up into the corner of her bed, by the wall, she reluctantly picked-her phone-up as she received a text from Peter.

_**Peter: **__Luv u. XX_

The text simply read which made Carla smile slightly, he could be so sweet sometimes, but that barely changed the way that she way she was feeling right-now. She was just thinking about what to reply-with, when Rob poked his head-around the door.

"Maaam says to tell-ya that tea is ready." He told his elder-sister quietly.

"Oh Right…..Thanks….." She trailed-off sadly in reply to him.

"Are you okay?!" Rob asked-her, concerned as her younger-brother.

"Yeah, I'll be down in a second okay Rob?!" Carla told her younger-brother kindly as she then smiled-at him kindly.

"Something's wrong I can tell….." Rob said as he then moved-further into the room and then sat-himself-down-onto the edge of Carla's bed. "What's wrong Sis?!"

Carla was touched by her little-brothers concern for her, but she couldn't talk to Rob about this kind-of thing…..She couldn't talk to anyone about this kind-of thing….."Oh Rob you wouldn't understand….." Carla then trailed-off calmly.

"I'm not stupid ya know?!" Rob told-her as Carla then gently ruffled-his hair-up slightly.

"I know you're not mate…..Just, go and have yer tea, and tell Mam that I'll be down in a minute okay?!" Carla asked Rob calmly as he then turned-to face Carla and then hugged-her tightly, making Carla just want to cry, but she wouldn't, she couldn't, she was too strong for that…..

"Okay. Love You Sis." Rob then told-her sweetly.

"Love ya too Bro. Now go-on, off ya go…..Before Mum starts to get all stressy at us….." Carla told-him, ruffling his hair-up once-more before he then trundled-off back-downstairs.

* * *

Over-at Boxing, Luke was doing-some training with Peter in the ring, and he was making-some great-progress, as Luke wore the hook and jab pads on his hands, holding-them-up for Peter whilst he punched-at them with some Boxing-Gloves-on. "That's it mate, now keep your guard-up. Whatever you do, always have one-hand as your guard…..'Cos you're gonna need-it." Luke instructed-him and he did-so, before practising some more punches. "That's awesome pal!" Luke encouraged-him and Peter smiled as the punches came to a stop.

"Really?!" He asked with a genuinely-surprised sound to his tone-of-voice.

"Yeah Really Peter. You've really come-on since last-week Pal. We'll have to organise you some Training-Spar-Matches soon…..You could be top Mate!" Luke told Peter kindly, he did a really-good-job at boosting Peter's confidence, and Peter always felt-good about himself whenever training came to an end.

"Yeah sure okay….." Peter trailed-off a little-nervously.

"Hey listen-Pal, how about we go-out tomorrow evening?!" Luke suggested to him and Peter just smiled-at Luke…..He had remembered that he had told Carla that he would meet-up with her tomorrow, but he didn't want-to let Luke down…..

"Urm….." Peter stuttered "I urm…..Can I…..I mean….." He continued as he struggled with how to respond to Luke, before then making a decision on what to do. "Yeah sure yeah…..Let's do it…..Starbucks or something yeah?!" Peter replied to Luke very youthfully, although Luke wasn't that much older than Peter himself….._'Carla probably won't mind…..' _He thought to himself, even-though he felt-bad about letting-her-down yet once-again…..

"Sounds great to me Peter Mate. Tell you what. I'll meet-ya there, say 4pm?!" Luke asked-him kindly.

"4pm. Thanks Luke….." Peter trailed-off as he then headed-home for the evening.

* * *

Back-at the Donovan's House, Carla had gone straight back-up to her bedroom after-tea. She couldn't be bothered to socialise with her family this-evening, and her Father had been winding-her-up about Peter all-evening, which was the last-thing she needed right-now when she was feeling-so-down…..

She heard a knock-at the door come-from downstairs, and listened-in as he Mother answered the door.

"Hiya Mrs Donovan, could I see Carla please?!" It was the voice of Peter.

"Oh Hello Peter! Of-Course you can. How are you?!" She asked-him kindly…..The last-time she had properly spoken-to Peter was just after he had been chucked-out of the Foster-Home and his mind was all messed-up, but his head seemed-a-lot clearer-nowadays.

"I'm alright I guess….." He trailed-off as she welcomed-him inside, and that's when he saw Carla stood on the bottom-step of the stairs.

"Hey Babe." He greeted her with as Mrs Donovan moved-out of the way so that Peter could walk-over to Carla. Carla then stepped-down the last-step so that she could be a Peter's height.

"Hey." She replied to him slightly shyly.

"Are you okay?!" A concerned Peter asked-his girlfriend.

"Mmm….." Carla trailed-off unconvincingly…..

"I'll leave you two to it." Mrs Donovan said as she then disappeared-off into the living-room.

"What's up baby?!" Peter asked as he placed his hands against Carla's waist.

"It's nothing…..What did you come here for anyway?! You should be getting home. Mrs Austin will be wondering where you are." Carla told-him sensibly as they headed-up the stairs together towards Carla's bedroom.

"Hey you can call her Linda remember?! And she knows I'm a bit unpredictable with what time I'll be home. So stop worrying about me." Peter told her softly with a smile as they then finally reached her bedroom. He sat-down onto the edge of Carla's bed whilst Carla stood-up, leaning against the nearest-wall which was just opposite-Peter.

"Okay that's fine…..But you still haven't told me why you came here?!" Carla asked-him, and Peter could sense that she was being slightly off with him and he wondered why?!

"Because I wanted to see you, and to tell-you that…..Well….."

"Peter just spit-it out!" Carla told-him harshly, making Peter frown. "I'm sorry baby." She softened with a sigh as she then walked-over to Peter, standing infront of him as she then placed her hands onto his shoulders. "What did you wanna tell-me?!"

"It doesn't matter….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"Yes it does. Now tell-me." Carla told-him worriedly.

"Luke, my boxing-coach, wants me to meet-up with him tomorrow afternoon…..But I've already said that I'd come to yours….." Peter told-her, hating that he was letting Carla down again…..

Carla sighed; she knew that if she got angry about-it then it would just cause friction between herself and Peter, and that was the last-thing she wanted right-now.

"It's fine you go. It's important that you spend time with your mates." Carla told-him, and even-though she secretly wanted him to say he'd cancel Luke and that he'd come to hers instead, she agreed with what she had just told Peter, it was important that he saw his mates, and he seemed to be really enjoying spending-all-of-his-time with Luke, so that had to be a good-thing…..Surely?!...

"Are you sure?!" Peter asked-her with a smile on his face.

"Well…..No…..But…..You finally seem to be all sorted-out up here….." Carla said as she gently pressed her index finger against the side of Peter's forehead. "And now that you are, well…..I guess you're gonna go out and spend time with your mates aren't ya?!" Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Well yeah babes, but I won't if you don't want me to….." Peter trailed-off.

"Oh Baby of-course I want ya too…..It's just…..You go and have a good-time with Luke tomorrow okay?! I'll be fine….." Carla told-him softly, and although she was lying through her teeth, Peter seemed to believe every-word of it.

"Okay I will do. Thank-You Baby." Peter said as he then stood-himself-up and Carla shuffled-backwards so that she could allow-him-to as he did-so. Peter then placed a gentle-kiss onto Carla's lips. "Anyway, I've gotta go. See you at school yeah? Love you." Peter said, before he then rushed-out of Carla's bedroom and then headed-back home to the Austin's.

* * *

As soon as Peter had gone, Carla watched-him until he was fully-out of sight before she then frowned. She wanted-him to make the most of his friendship with Luke, because she knew that Peter wasn't the person at keeping-his-friendships…..But at the same-time, she didn't like the fact that he was cancelling his time with her to do that…..It just made Carla even-more worried that all Peter wanted was her body and not her…..

* * *

Walking-home, Peter felt-bad about cancelling spending-time with Carla tomorrow, to spend-time with Luke. _'She said she didn't mind.' _Peter then thought to himself. _'But she seemed really angry for a little-bit. Why was she so off with me if she didn't mind?!' _

He then opened the front-door with his key which Linda had-had cut for him the other-week and then let-himself-into the house, sighing with confusion as he failed to get his conversation with Carla out of his head.

"Good Evening Peter." Linda greeted-him with as she was sat on the sofa with Zach, who smiled-at Peter.

"Are you alright mate?!" Zach asked as Peter chucked his rucksack to the ground and then plonked-himself into the nearest-arm-chair. Zach had noticed that Peter seemed to be thinking about something very deeply, and he looked a little-bit confused about whatever that was…..

"Can I ask ya something?!" Peter asked Zach, he had learnt and grown to trust Zach ever-since he had moved-in with the Austin's, and he really appreciated that Zach had really looked-out for him through everything that he had been through and still continued-to now.

"Of-Course ya can mate….." Zach told Peter kindly…..

"I'll go and put tea on….." Linda Austin then suggested, sensing that Peter wanted a guy-to-guy chat with Zach.

"When you first got together with Linda…..What did ya do when your mates wanted you spend-time with them?!…..But so did ya girlfriend?!…..Both at the same-time?!…..Peter asked Carla, still utterly-confused about all of this. He didn't know what to do, and Zach could tell that this was really getting-to Peter.

"Ah that old problem. Well it's a tough-one mate…..You don't want your mates to think that you've dropped them for your girlfriend…..But then again, you don't want Carla to think the opposite…..But I do know this pal…..Carla really cares about you, and she'll want the best for you, and she'll want to make you happy…..But that doesn't always mean that she'd making herself happy too….." Zach trailed-off.

"Are you saying that she would lie to me, just to make-me happy?!" Peter asked Zach worriedly.

"To some extent yeah Pal….." Zach replied to Peter truthfully.

"Argh I'm such an idiot!" Peter said sadly with a loud-sigh.

"Hey she'll understand Peter…..I'm sure of it….." Zach then re-assured the young-lad.

"Oh Yeah?! Well if she does then she'll understand more than me that's for sure….." Peter said as he then stood-up before he then headed-upstairs to his room.

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_

_**Coming-Up...**_

_**- Carla feels more and more pushed-away by Peter, but she's too afraid that she'll loose him if she tells him the truth about how she is feeling.**_

_**- Boxing becomes more and more important to Peter, but Mrs Austin worries as it begins to affect his school-work...**_


	14. Chapter 14

A couple of weeks had passed-by now and Peter seemed to be spending more and more time out and about, and less-time with Carla, and as much as Peter was cute and romantic every time he did see her, Carla was beginning to feel just that little-bit unloved by her boyfriend. And she was also worried that he had missed yet another few counselling sessions and panicked that he could potentially go off of the rails again, which was the last-thing that both her or Peter needed right-now as their exams were approaching quicker than ever.

It was Monday morning and Carla had just sat-down next to Peter in registration. "Hey You." She said, giving him a very-quick kiss on the lips as she did-so.

"Hey." Peter replied with a rather-large yawn.

"Someone's tired." She told-him with a smile. "Did you have a good-weekend with Luke?!" She asked-him kindly.

"Yeah. Luke set-up match after match for me…..And I didn't exactly win all of them, but it was great fun to do and I won a few of them." He then told her happily, but it was obvious that he was tired.

"Well that's great. I bet you're suffering now though?!" Carla asked-him sweetly.

"No I'm fine….." Peter insisted.

"Okay…..Well I missed you….." Carla told Peter as she then placed her hand against the side of his neck.

"Awww did ya?!" Peter replied, although Carla was kind-of hoping that he would tell-her that he had missed her too…..

"Yeah I never get to see ya these days….." Carla told Peter seriously, making him sigh.

"Babes, life has just been busy that's all….." Peter trailed-off; feeling-bad that Carla was obviously upset about this.

"What? Too busy to spend 5 Minutes with your girlfriend…..It doesn't take much to pick-up the phone baby….." Carla told Peter, softly, but firmly enough for him to know that she meant-every-word-of what she had just told-him.

"Carla, I just forgot alright?!….." Peter replied to Carla as he then yawned-again, rubbing his hands over his face as he did-so.

"Yeah well you've been forgetting for the past 2 Weeks…..Anyway, your birthday's coming-up next-week…..I was wondering if you wanted to do something together…..Like go for a romantic meal of something?!" She asked-him.

"Yeah sure….." He trailed-off…..

"That sounded convincing….." Carla told-him.

"Well, it's just that…..Luke and the Gang asked-me if I wanted to have a big party on my birthday….."

"Oh Peter!" Carla said angrily, if he was about to blow-her-off for his mates yet again then she would not be happy, he had just spent the whole-weekend with them, and he would probably spend the majority of his evening's this week with them too, the least he could do was spend his 16th Birthday with her…..

"No it's fine Baby. I'll tell them I can't make-it." Peter said, placing his hand onto Carla's waist.

"You will?!" Carla then asked-Peter with a sweet-smile.

"I promise I will….." He then replied, but she would have to see-it to believe-it…..

Later-on that day, at lunchtime, Peter was just on his way to meet-Carla, when Mrs Austin caught-him in the corridor. "Peter can I have a word with you please?!" She asked-him, calmly, but seriously-at the same-time.

"Uh yeah sure….." Peter said quietly as she ushered-him over to the side of the busy-corridor, out of the way of the rushing-students.

"Teachers Pet….." Kyle commented as he walked-past, making Peter just glare at the kid who was just possibly his worst-enemy-ever.

"Ignore-Him!" Mrs Austin ordered-him.

"I'm too tired to chase-after-him today….." Peter trailed-off.

"Yes, well that's what I wanted to speak to you about Peter, Mr Kelly was worried-about-you…..He said that you were practically falling-over your feet in PE today you were so tired….." Mrs Austin voiced her concerns to her Adopted-Son as he yawned, proving her worries to be correct. "Are you sure you're not over doing-it?! What with all of this boxing n all?!" She asked-him.

"I'm fine….." He lied to her, truth was, was that he had struggled-all-day today.

"Okay well, why don't you go home anyway?! I'll sign-you out as ill….." Mrs Austin suggested-to-him, worried that Peter could barely keep his eyes-open.

"No Linda, I'm fine. I promise-you!" He told-her rather-firmly, yet-again, making more promises that he would struggle to keep…..

"If you say so Peter. But remember to call-me Mrs Austin at school….." She told-him with a small-smile.

"Yes Miss…..Sorry….." He trailed-off, it was obvious to Mrs Austin that the young-lad barely had any energy left-in him, but she couldn't order-him about, he was growing-into a young-man now, what with his 16th Birthday fast-approaching, and she had to accept-that and allow-him to make these kind-of mistakes, even with its consequences.

"That's Okay. Of ya go-then, Carla will be waiting for ya….." She told-him with a friendly-wink, patting her adopted-son on the shoulder as he then tiredly-began to walk-off, dragging his feet along the floor as he did-so. Mrs Austin then just watched-on worriedly until he was completely out of her sight. This was going-to end disasterously, she could just see-it all happening-in-her mind-now…..

School had soon finished, and Carla & Peter met-up once-again. They arrived-back at the Austin's Household and were now cuddled-up on the sofa together as Zach popped-into the room for a little-while just to greet-them both home. "Hiya Guys. Peter, you look exhausted-Mate." Zach immediately commented and Peter just sighed-in frustration.

"I'm Fine! Why does everyone keep saying that today?" Peter then asked-Zach angrily.

"We're just worried about you Baby….." Carla-told-him calmly.

"Yeah well don't be…..I'm going-upstairs….." He said as he then stood-up, stumbling slightly as he took a step-forwards, as Zach then ran-over to him to help-him to keep his balance.

"Woah Peter, I wouldn't call that fine would-you?!" Zach asked-him, his voice laced with concern as Carla then helped-him to sit Peter back-down onto the sofa again.

"Did you sleep at all this weekend Baby?!" Carla asked-him as she then soothingly stroked-his back.

"Not really…..Luke kept-me-up chatting all night…..And then the Boxing-Lads wanted to watch some DVD's…..And then by the time we had finished-off all of the Pizza's and stuff, it was like 5 in the Morning…..And there was no-point in trying to sleep-then….." Peter explained, and immediately, Zach & Carla both decided in their own-brains that although Luke seemed to be good-mates with Peter, he certainly wasn't good for him, and they both just worried that he would either make Peter's health deteriorate, or he would send him well-off-of the rails once-again…..

Zach just sighed. "You need to sleep mate….." He told-him softly.

"That's just what the Boxing World is like…..The fights didn't finish until about Midnight….." Peter defended-both himself and Luke.

"Yeah and that would be fine, but you've got exams coming-up Peter…..They need to come-first, and I'm sure that Linda will tell-you the very-same-thing when she gets home from work….." Zach told-Peter seriously.

"Yeah well it's not like I'm gonna pass any of my exams is it?! So…..I really couldn't care less about them to be honest….." Peter then trailed-off, standing-himself-up once-again, more slowly this-time as he then gathered his balance, before making-his-way upstairs.

"I'll try and talk to him….." Carla suggested-to Zach as she then followed-Peter up the stairs.

When she reached Peter's room, she noticed that Peter was smoking a cigarette out of the bedroom-window. "Peter!" Carla warned-him both firmly and seriously.

"Well it was either a cheeky-fag or a deadly-drug so why don't you choose which-one you'd prefer-me to have then Carla?!" Peter then told-Carla, rather angrily as he breathed-out the smoke and then coughed, it had been a while since his last-cigarette, and he was just getting-used to it again.

"Oh Peter! You don't need either of those things! Where did you get the fags from anyway?!" Carla asked-him worriedly.

"One of the Boxing-Lads from the weekend-away gave-them to me….." Peter trailed-off.

"You've been smoking all weekend?!" Carla asked-him angrily.

"Well so what if I have Carla?!" Peter then snapped-back at Carla.

"Peter this is just the tiredness talking, why don't you just have a sleep yeah?! I'd rather you slept and cleared your head, then sat there smoking fag after fag all night!" Carla told-him firmly.

"I'M NOT A KID CARLA!"

"WELL NEITHER AM I PETER!" They both then shouted-at them, and Zach and Linda, who had just arrived-from work, could hear them both very-clearly as the young-couple argued against each-other.

"Everyone treats me like I'm about 10 Years Old! But I'm not! I'm 15, almost 16! And I'm fed-up of constantly being tip-toed around because everyone thinks that I'll go and do something stupid if you're not nice to me!" Peter shouted-at Carla before he then took another drag of his fag.

"Yeah well you're just proving them right aren't ya Peter?! You have been doing-so well recently! Your counsellor, Barbara, seemed to really help-you-out, and then this Boxing thing came-along, and ever-since it did, you've been growing more and more distant and not just from-me! From everyone! I can already see signs of the old Peter coming-back and let-me tell-you this now Peter I'm not gonna stick around when he does eventually return!" Carla had a right-go at Peter, ranting and ranting at him, hoping that she would touch a nerve somewhere or other.

"The old Peter?!" Peter asked, calming-himself down a little-bit now as he then sat-down on the bed, stubbing his fag-out on a nearby-breakfast-plate and then leaving-it there. "Ya mean the one who takes drugs and beats people-up?!" He asked, and Carla nodded-at-him.

"Or dya mean the little-kid who had two amazing-parents, before they were cruelly taken-away from him in that horrible coach-crash….." Peter trailed-off as he then put his head-into his hands. "I'm Sorry Carla…..I've been stupid…..But that doesn't mean that I want to give-up Boxing, because I love-it Carla….." Peter then told-Carla, rather tearfully now as he did-so.

"That's fine Baby." Carla then softened as she then sat-herself-down next-to Peter and put her arms around his shoulders. "I'm not saying that you have to give-up Boxing…..But you've gotta take back that control that you once-had-over your life for a little-while…..And you've gotta start going back to your counselling-sessions again….." She told-him gently, she knew that Peter was in a very fragile-state when he was like-this, so she wasn't going to push-him any-further now that he had calmed-down a little-bit.

"I will Carla….." Peter cried to Carla as the tears then began to fall-down his cheek. "I Love You." He told-her sweetly.

"I Love You Too." She whispered-in reply. "Don't Cry Baby. Shh. Don't Cry." She-said, pushing Peter's head down towards her chest so that it could rest-there before she then pulled Peter's torso towards-her so that she could hug him tightly.

_**Please-Review! **_


	15. Chapter 15

Peter had stayed at Carla's that night, and the next morning they headed-to school together. Peter had been rather-quiet all morning, which worried Carla slightly as they walked-together hand-in-hand, but she decided to just leave-it for now as she watched-him scuffle his trainers along the floor.

"You really should get yourself some proper school-shoes ya know Peter!" Carla told-him gently.

"Hmmm? With what?!" He asked-her quietly.

"Well surely Linda & Zach could help out….." Carla suggested to him but Peter just mumbled-something inaudible in reply to her. "Or maybe I could get ya some for your birthday…..You're very quiet this morning….." She then added-on to the end of that last-sentence.

"Mmm….." Peter trailed-off as they reached the school-gates together where they were greeted-by Luke.

"Hiya Mate. Dya fancy coming-out with me and the Boxing Lads tonight?!" He asked Peter kindly, but he just sighed as he awkwardly looked-down towards the floor.

"Luke Mate…..I can't…..I mean I love all of this Boxing Stuff…..But Carla's gotta come first….." Peter told-him, and that was the first-time that Peter had spoken a proper sentence all-morning.

"Babes you can go with Luke if you want-to….." Carla told-him, his counselling wasn't until Friday so she didn't mind.

"No…..I just…..Don't really wanna go out tonight that's all…..Sorry Luke Mate." Peter apologised, and he felt-bad letting Luke down, but the truth-was, was that Peter wasn't feeling up too much at all today.

"Hey that's alright Mate. Will I see you at the Weekend?!" Luke then asked.

"N-n-no ya won't…..Maybe next week okay?!" Peter told Luke, his voice extremely-quiet, infact, it was so quiet that both Luke & Carla were struggling to hear what he was saying.

"Alright Mate….." Luke trailed-off before he then disappeared.

"Hey what's up with you today?!" Carla asked-him worriedly as they continued to walk towards their form-room hand-in-hand.

"It's nothing Carla….." Peter said letting-go of Carla's hand and then beginning to walk-on ahead of her, by himself, leaving Carla even-more worried than she was before.

* * *

Peter then headed-off out of Carla's sight and then left the school out of the other-gates on the other-side…..He walked-around for a while just trying to clear his head. Today was a hard-day for Peter in-particular and he just wanted to get through-it by himself without getting-himself-into too much trouble. But there was one-person who he wanted to speak-to…..He headed towards his old Foster-Home, and then knocked-on the front-door.

Betty answered the door. "Peter?! What are you doing-here?!" She asked-him quietly, not wanting Charlie to hear who she was talking-to.

"Can I come-in? I need to chat to someone….Someone who understands….." Peter told Betty rather tearfully as she sighed-at the poor-lad...

* * *

Carla had eventually reached their form-room to find that Peter wasn't there. She walked over to Mrs Austin's desk, where the teacher was sat. "Miss, I don't suppose Peter's been in has he?!" Carla asked, obviously concerned for her boyfriend.

"No I'm afraid he hasn't Carla…..Anyway, I thought he stayed at yours last-night?!" Mrs Austin asked-her, also worried-now.

"He did…..But he's been in a really funny-mood all morning…..He's barely said a word, and that's not like Peter…..Miss, you don't think he's…..Ya know…..Tempted…..I caught him smoking again yesterday…..And he said that it was either a fag or some drugs….." Carla then confided-in Mrs Austin, who just sighed in pure-sadness for the poor-young-lad.

"Oh Dear. Now that's not good-news is it?! Any ideas on what could be up with him?! Something to do with his parents' maybe?! Hang-On let me just check his file….." Mrs Austin then told Carla, pulling Peter's file out from the correct space in the small filing-cabinet that was placed next to her, before looking through-it. "It says that his Parent's death anniversaries were this month….." The teacher then informed an extremely-worried Carla.

"But if it really IS the Anniversaries of their Deaths today…..Would he really go back to the drugs…..Surely he wouldn't?! Now when he's thinking about his parents?!" Carla asked Mrs Austin.

"Well you would think not wouldn't you Carla?!…..But Peter has a drugs problem…..And it's still not quite fixed as yet…..When things get tough, he thinks that taking a few drugs will make everything better…..But it won't…..It really won't…..But anyway, listen Carla, I need you to stay-in school and go to all of your lessons as usual for-me…..I'll give Zach a ring, see if Peter has just gone-home, and if not, I'll get Zach to have a look for him…..Try not to worry about-him to much okay love?!" Mrs Austin then told Carla kindly with a sympathetic-smile as she softly rubbed Carla's arm.

"Okay…..Thanks Miss…..Let-me know when he turns-up yeah?!" Carla told Mrs Austin, who then just nodded back at her in agreement with a small-smile.

* * *

Back-at the Foster-Home, Betty still had Peter on the door-step. "Peter if I let-you-in then Charlie will just have you thrown back-out again…..You know how he reacted last-time….." She told the poor-kid sadly, desperately wanting to help-him but knowing that she couldn't was killing-her. But she couldn't invite-him-in…..Not whilst Charlie was still-here, he would go crazy at both her and Peter…..And she feared-at what he could possibly do to Peter if he were to see-him again.

"Please Betty?!" Peter practically cried-to-her.

"Oh Darlin'….." Betty sighed as she then soothingly rubbed Peter's shoulder.

"Who's at the door love?!" Betty heard Charlie call from the living-room.

"Urm…..No-One….." She replied.

"Stop lying to me! I'm not stupid ya know?!" Charlie then replied angrily as he appeared-at the door.

"YOU!" He shouted-at Peter, grabbing him the scruff of his school-jumper and then dragging-him across the street. "Scum like YOU aren't welcome here! Now GO! Go-On! GET-LOST!" Charlie screamed-at him as Betty came running-over.

"I need to speak to Betty!" Peter shouted at Charlie as the tears streamed-down his face.

"Charlie, leave-him-alone PLEASE?!" Betty then practically had to beg her Husband to stop, but still he wouldn't as he battled and fought against Peter's strong-arms.

Charlie then grabbed Peter by the scruff of his jumper once-again and then yanked-him forwards so that Peter was now face-to-face with him. "What are ya doing-here ey?! Ya scummy little-druggie!" Charlie told-him nastily, making Peter then spit-in Charlie's face before he then punched the older-man in the cheek, sending-him flying to the ground.

"You Deserved That!" Betty told Charlie harshly, refusing to help-him-up as she then welcomed Peter inside, locking the door behind-her so that Charlie couldn't get back-in again...

* * *

Back-at school, break-time had just arrived, and Carla spent the whole 15 Minutes that she had trying to get a hold-of Peter.

"Peter come-on pick-up Baby please?!" She said to herself as the phone just rang-and-rang before it then went to an answer-phone message, so she decided to leave-one.

_**Carla: **__Hiya Baby. It's Me. Carla. I'm guessing you've turned your phone-off. But when you get this, please just give-me a ring okay. I want to…..No…..I NEED to know that you are okay and that you are safe…..I Love You, and whatever it is, I can promise-you that I'll be here for ya. Okay Baby. Speak-soon. Bye. _

She then decided-to text him just in case he was just simply ignoring her phone-calls.

_**Carla: **__Ring me wen u gets this. I Luv U. C XXX_

* * *

Back-at the Foster-Home, Betty had welcomed an extremely-tearful Peter into the living-room and had made-him a warm and strong hot-chocolate with squirty-cream and marshmallows on top. "There ya go love. Just how you like-it." She told-him as she then handed-the hot-chocolate over to him. "Now what did you want to talk to me about then Peter?!" She then asked-him kindly but softly all at the same-time.

"Dya remember when I first came-to you, just after my Mum & Dad had died?!" Peter asked-her sadly as he then took a large-sip out of his drinks.

"Yeah I do…..Infact, I remember-it like-it was yesterday….." Betty then replied.

"It's been 6 Years today since that horrible coach-crash….." Peter trailed-off sadly.

"Has it really?! Oh Peter I'm so sorry…..today must be really difficult for you?!" Betty asked-him sympathetically.

"Yeah it is yeah…..And I know that I should-be at school…..But I'm use there today I promise-ya…..But how did I cope for the first-few-months after they had died?!" Peter asked-her, his voice shaky with pure-emotion.

"Well first-of all, you've never been a kid who copes with anything well Peter…..But you just had to get through-it…..Carla helped-ya…..You used to tell-me when you were about 10 that you thought that Carla was your best-friend because she made you smile….." Betty told the grieving-kid sweetly.

"Not much has changed then?!" Peter then told Betty quietly.

"No I guess it hasn't. Now listen to me Peter, I know that you've made some pretty-awful mistakes in the past…..But you've come through the worst Peter, I know that you have…..Are you off the drugs now?!" She asked-him sensitively.

"It's almost been 3 Months since I last took any…..But recently I've become more tempted to…..Well…..Ya know…..Go back to them like….." Peter then revealed-to Betty truthfully.

"And have you told Carla-this?!"

"Kind-of…..Not really though…..She doesn't even know that I'm here with you now…..I bet she thinks I'm busy getting high around some Street Corner….." Peter trailed-off sadly, and also angrily, he was more angry with himself though. Angry for walking-off and not telling Carla, or infact, anyone where he was going…..

"She trusts ya Peter…..And if she is thinking that then it's only because she is worried about-ya….." Betty told-him truthfully.

"My Parents would hate-me if they knew-me now….." Peter then said, feeling rather depressed right-now as a few-more tears began to slip from his eyes.

"Peter this has got to stop!" Betty then told-him firmly. "Putting yourself down isn't going to help-you…..Infact it's not going to help-anyone. You need to believe-in yourself! You can do this Peter I know you can. Now I think it's time that you went and found Carla, don't you?!" Betty then advised-him.

"Would you mind taking-me somewhere first?!" Peter asked-her calmly as he then began-to wipe and dry his tears away.

"And where would that be then?!" Betty questioned-Peter softly.

"To my Mum & Dad's Graves…..I need-to go there Betty…..I need to remind-myself how much I loved them, and how much I always will love-them….." Peter then told Betty truthfully.

"Then let's go Peter…..But only once you have rung Carla, and told-her where you're going….."

* * *

With the permission of Mrs Austin, Carla then left the school-at Lunchtime to go and meet Peter at the graveyard. She met-him in the car-park, where Betty was stood-outside her car with him. Carla carefully approached Peter and then just gently hugged-him as she reached-him. "I've been worried sick about you Mister." Carla told-him truthfully, before she then greeted Betty with a small-smile.

"I'm sorry Baby…..I just needed some-space." Peter then told-her truthfully.

"And you haven't…..Ya Know?!" Carla asked, trailing-off as she did-so as Peter then caught-onto the general jist of what she was trying to ask-him.

"Taken any drugs?! No I haven't….." Peter then replied, finishing-off Carla's question for-her as she did-so. Carla then kissed Peter on the cheek.

"Then I'm so proud of you. Thanks for sorting-him-out Betty….." Carla told Peter old Foster-Mother gratefully.

"Anytime Carla…..And I mean that Peter…..Just because ya don't live-with-me anymore, that doesn't mean that I've stopped caring for ya…..Now would ya like me to come-with-ya?!" Betty then asked-them-both sensitively, and Carla then just looked-at Peter for the answer to her question.

"No Thanks Betty I've got Carla here now…..But thank-you…..For everything. Your love and support means the world to me." Peter told-her sweetly as he then kissed her on the cheek before hugging her tightly.

As Peter then looked-back-at Carla, she held her hand-out for him to take, and he did-so as she smiled-at him sympathetically. "Are ya ready then?!" She asked-him calmly and Peter then just sighed.

"I guess-so….." He replied-to her tearfully as they headed-into the graveyard and to towards Peter's Mother & Father's Gravestones, which were placed beautifully next-to each-other. Carla squeezed Peter's hand tightly as she felt-him begin to shake with nerves as they began to reach-both of the grave-stones.

"I'm Here For Ya Baby." She whispered to him as they then knelt-down infront of them together…..

* * *

_**Please-Review! **_

_**Coming-Up…..**_

_** - Peter's 16th Birthday! **_

_** - Carla decides that she has had enough of Kyle bullying Peter…..**_

_** - A tragic-accident happens…..But to who?! **_


	16. Chapter 16

Peter's 16th Birthday had soon arrived and Carla decided to take Peter out for a nice romantic meal in the evening. Carla had stayed with Peter the night before, sleeping on the 'sofa' as far as they believed that the Austin's were concerned, but both Linda & Zach knew that Carla slept in Peter's bed with him once the house had gone quiet for long-enough. Although, they hadn't 'done' anything as-such yet, and Mrs Austin trusted that the pair of them would be sensible about that once the time came.

Carla snuck downstairs whilst Peter was still asleep. Linda & Zach had agreed to help Carla to decorate the living-room for him aswell as help Carla to quickly bake Peter his very-own chocolate birthday cake! Taking the Cake out of the Oven, Carla then smiled-at Linda.

"What dya think?!" She asked-her.

"Carla, that looks brilliant. He's gonna love-it!" Linda said, looking at the freshly bake chocolate birthday cake, which Carla was about to ice 'Happy 16th Birthday Peter' onto.

"Thank-You for yours and Zach's help this-morning, Linda. Really, thank-you." Carla told-her gratefully, making Linda smile acceptingly.

"That is quite alright Carla. Peter deserves some happiness, especially on his birthday. And perhaps, we can make this year special for him ey?!" Linda then told Carla rather sweetly as they could hear a very sleepy Peter making his way downstairs.

Carla, Linda and Zach all then made their way into the living-room to greet Peter with wide-smiles and lots of 'Happy Birthday!' Greetings as he entered the room, tiredly rubbing his eyes. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They all shouted rather-excitably, making Peter jump as they did-so. The young-lad chuckled.

"Thanks Guys." Peter replied to his surprise as Carla then made her way over to him, placing a kiss onto his lips and then hugging-him tightly.

"We best be getting ready for work." Linda then told both Carla & Peter.

"We'll leave you two to it!" Zach then cheekily commented to the happy-couple, making them both chuckle.

"Yeah thanks Zach….." Carla replied with a smile on her face and a quiet-laugh.

There was a short-silence as Carla wrapped her arms around Peter's neck and Peter put his hands around Carla's waist. Carla gently placed her hand against the back of Peter's head, softly stroking his short-brown hair as she then carefully pushed-his-head-forwards so that she could kiss-him both meaningfully and passionately.

"Mmm that was good." Peter said as they pulled-away from all of the kissing.

"Happy Birthday my little fitty!" Carla then told Peter sweetly, making him chuckle slightly. "Now come-on, let's get ready for school." She said as Peter then sighed.

"Awww would ya just listen to yourself, ya little goody two shoes." Peter replied as he then followed her upstairs to get ready.

At school, Kyle had heard that it was Peter's birthday, and was waiting in the wings to ruin his birthday left, right & centre. "Alright Petey boy?!" Kyle teased as he approached Peter in the school's court-yard that break-time.

"Don't call-me that you idiot." Peter then replied as he tried to just walk past Kyle smoothly, along with Carla, but that was never gonna happen.

"I'll call ya whatever I flamin' well like birthday boy!" Kyle told-him firmly.

"How did ya know that it's my birthday today?!" Peter then asked-him curiously.

"Word goes around Pal. And speaking-of birthday's, I've got a little present for ya!" Kyle told Peter before he then suddenly grabbed Peter and then kneed-him in the stomach viciously, it was totally uncalled for. Peter keeled-over in pain, and Carla could see that he was just about to react to Kyle's violent-outburst.

"Oh No you don't!" Carla then said, launching-himself towards Kyle, and punching-him in a place that was particularly painful for a male.

"It's about time you were taught a lesson you cocky idiot!" She shouted-at Kyle. Peter watched-on in awe of Carla as she then ripped-into Kyle for hurting-him on his birthday.

"I couldn't careless whether you lot LIKE Peter or not. But the fact-is, is that he's had enough of you lot picking-on him. We all have. So unless you want more pain down-there where the sun don't shine, then I suggest that you back-off! Because we wouldn't want the Doctor to have to have a look down-there now would we?!" Carla shouted-at Kyle and his mate, highly amusing Peter as Kyle then went running-off with his tail between his legs like a scaredy-little-girly.

Carla then turned-her attention-back to Peter as she placed her hand against his shoulder. "Are you okay?!" She asked-him worriedly.

"I am now." He replied with a cheeky-smile. "Where did all of that come-from?!" He asked-her, still rather-amused by Carla's sudden-outburst to defend-him.

"I have no-idea. But I'm glad that-it worked. Because I was worried that they might turn-on me if it didn't work!" Carla then told Peter with a little-girl.

"Awww Babes you were amazing thank-you." Peter then told Carla sweetly as he then pulled-her in for a hug as Mrs Austin then approached-them both.

"I'll pretend for your sake Carla, that I didn't see that." Mrs Austin then told-them-both with an amused-smirk on her face as she did-so, making Carla & Peter smile at the teacher/the lady who was Peter's full-time guardian nowadays. She really did have a heart of gold once you got to know her slightly.

Later-on that evening, Linda & Zach then dropped both Carla & Peter-off at a swanky restaurant in town, and Linda had told Carla & Peter that she would pay for-it as hers and Zach's contribution to Peter's birthday-present.

Carla & Peter were now sat-together in the restaurant, when suddenly, Carla then decided that it seemed-like the right moment to give Peter his birthday present. She grabbed the wrapped-up present from underneath the table and then handed-it to Peter.

"Awww Babes, you didn't have-to." Peter told-her gratefully as he then took the present from her.

"I know I didn't but I wanted-to." She replied as Peter then went straight for the present. "Open the card first you dingbat!" She then told-him cheekily.

"Argh. Fine." Peter said as he then opened the little-envelope which contained the card-inside. Opening the card, it read...

_Dear Peter, my oldest friend, and now my amazing boyfriend,_

_Have an amazing birthday sweetheart. You deserve to have a good-time. _

_Know that I love you more than anything Baby. _

_Love From Carla. XXX _

Peter then opened his birthday-present. Carla knew that Peter always wore a chain around his neck, so she had brought-him a small pendant which was also a tiny-photo-frame. Inside, on one-side of the frame, was an old-photo of Peter & his parents when Peter was just a little 5 Year-Old and on the other-side was a lovely-photo of Carla & Peter.

"Oh Baby that's amazing. Thank-You so much." Peter then told Carla sweetly, getting a little-bit emotional as he in-particularly paid attention to the photo of him with his Mother & Father.

"Ya don't need-to thank-me Baby. I know that you've been missing your parents a lot recently, and I thought it would just be a nice thing to do for ya. Because I Love Ya." Carla replied to Peter as she then walked-around to Peter's side of the table, sitting-herself down onto his lap as she then helped-him to attach the pendant onto his chain. "There we go Baby. They are with ya forever now." Carla said as Peter then leaned-into passionately kiss Carla on the lips.

"I Love You So Much." Peter then whispered-into her ear.

"I Love You Too." Carla replied.

Later-On that night, Peter & Carla were waiting just outside of the restaurant for Zach & Linda to come and pick-them-both-up. They had barely been able to keep their hands off-of each-other all evening, and now they were practically stood snogging each-other's faces-off in the middle-of the Street. They didn't care about passer-byers who may have seen them; both of their full-attentions were now completely and totally focussed-onto each-other as they kissed-in the moonlit-alley-way.

All of a sudden, Peter gently pushed Carla-up against the nearest-wall, both of their hands now wandering as Carla suddenly realized exactly where they were. She pressed her hand against Peter's chest to stop-him, both of them breathing-heavily now as their passionate kissing came-to an end.

"Baby not-here. Wait until we get home. It will be more special that way." Carla told-him sweetly.

"I wasn't going-to do...Wait, ya mean that ya...Like...Want to...Like...Do It?!" Peter then asked Carla, a little confused-by her words, aswell as his-own.

"Yeah I Do." Carla replied with a re-assuring smile.

"But...I mean...Are you sure?! Even though you're only 15 like?!" Peter then asked-Carla nervously.

"Peter, I love-ya. And I trust-ya. And I know that I'm not 16 yet, but, I mean...We're both ready to...'Do It' aren't we?!" Carla asked Peter rather shyly.

"Yeah we are...I mean...I think-so if you think-so." Peter replied, just-as nervously as Carla had just done.

"Okay then...Well why don't you go back-into the restaurant, go into the loos and get some...Ya know...Protection...From the little-machine..." Carla hinted to Peter and he did-so and then hid-them-away before Zach and Linda arrived-to collect-them.

Later-On, in Peter's bedroom, Carla & Peter were both cuddling each-other nervously.

"Are you like...Ready then?!" Peter then asked-Carla as they lay on the bed-together, Peter already had his top-off, but they had decided to take-things nice and slowly so that-it just felt and happened naturally for them both.

"I guess so...Are you?!" Carla then asked-in reply.

"Yeah I am...We'll have to be quiet-though." Peter said, making Carla giggle-shyly.

"I'm sure that we can manage-that. Happy Birthday Baby." Carla then said as the young-couple then began to kiss each-other passionately once-again as Carla then began to move-herself on-top of Peter...

_**Please-Review!**_


	17. Chapter 17

_**Thanks for all of your lovely reviews guys! They are much appreciated! But please remember that this fic is only T Rated and not M Rated and I'd like it to stay that way, so I hate to disappoint but there will be no in detail 'sex-scene!' But I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway!**_

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_**Oh! And by the way! - Look-out for the introductions of other Coronation Street Characters in this chapter guys!**_

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Carla rolled-off-of Peter and sighed in pure-happiness. "So how was that then?!" Peter asked-her nervously.

"Better than I even thought-it would-be. And you know-me Peter, I have high-expectations." Carla then told Peter, making-him giggle in a shy-way. "What about you birthday-boy?! Did you enjoy-it?!"

"Carla I absolutely loved-it." He replied happily.

"Good. I'm glad. Was it...Ya know?! Your first-time and all that?!" She asked-him with a little-girly-giggle.

"Yeah...I mean, I was close with this girl a couple of years back...But we were both just way too young and she wasn't really up for it...And I know that you're still 15, Carla, but this other-girl was different to you...She just weren't really that ready to go to the next-step like...But you were. Anyway, enough about-me. What about you?!" Peter then asked-in return.

"Yeah, it was my first-time too...And I don't care that I'm not 16 yet Peter...It was special because I was with you." Carla told-him as they then cuddled-up beneath the duvet together.

"Yeah...Same...I mean about-it being special and all that like..." Peter then replied.

"Peter!" Mrs Austin then called-from downstairs, making Peter jump-out of his skin. "If you & Carla want to come-downstairs, we've got something for ya..."

"Oh Great...Just great..." Peter then said, making Carla laugh.

"They've got great timing haven't they Baby?!" Carla chuckled.

"Too Right..." Peter said before he then climbed-out of bed and quickly-got-himself dressed so that he could go-downstairs. And Carla then followed-him a couple of minutes later-on...

Linda & Zach then gave Peter a couple-of bits & bobs as his 16th Birthday present. Just-as Peter 7 Carla were then about to head back-upstairs to Peter's room together, Zach grabbed Peter's attention and gently pulled-him into the kitchen.

"Listen Peter mate...I think Linda's clueless, but I know what you were doing with Carla upstairs..."

"Oh Zach I'm..."

"Peter. Don't panic alright?! I'm not gonna tell Linda. I just want to tell-ya to be careful alright?! You're both still young, and you've both got the rest of your lives together..." Zach then informed Peter truthfully.

"I know that Zach...And we were gonna wait until Carla was 16...But tonight it just...Well it just felt-right ya know?!" Peter then confided-in Zach as his adopted-Father & also a Friend of his aswell.

"That's alright Peter...I just wanted to tell-ya to be careful. And don't make this relationship with Carla all about the sex okay?! I can tell that you both love each-other to pieces without having to do that every night." Zach told Peter maturely.

"Oh Mate I don't think I could manage doing that every-night. I'm knackered as it is!" Peter then joked with Zach, who just laughed-at the kid.

"Right. Well good. You've got something special with that girl Mate. Make-sure that you look-after her, because she looked-after you remember?!" Zach then told-Peter softly, talking from his own-experiences with Linda.

Peter then thought back to how Carla had supported-him through all of his drugs troubles. She really was a special-girl. "Anyway, Happy Birthday Mate!" Zach then said before Carla & Peter then headed-back-upstairs again.

* * *

Back-at school the next-day, Carla was sat with her Mates at lunchtime, one-of them being Michelle, whom she had confided-in about her night with Peter...

"Oh Babes you're so lucky!" Michelle told Carla, she was still single herself and was in-search of the right-boy. "What was it like then?!" She then asked-Carla excitably.

"I dunno how to explain-it Michelle...It was just amazing...I mean, he was so caring. I've never seen that side of Peter before...He's such a sweetie!" Carla told Michelle happily, as she spoke complimentary words about Peter to her.

"I'd hardly describe-him as a Sweetie Carla..." Michelle said, thinking-of the Peter Barlow that used-to beat people-up all the time, but Carla had changed that side-of him, he was so-much more of a softie-nowadays. A lover, rather-than-a fighter.

"Oh Michelle but he is though! Honestly, you don't know-him like I do...If ya did then you'd understand..." Carla trailed-off with an obviously 'in-love smile.'

"Well I can see that you're obviously happy being with him Carla. So I'm pleased-for-ya! I really-am." Michelle then told Carla sweetly as Peter then approached Carla from behind, putting his index-finger to his lips as a way of motioning for Michelle to Shhh and be quiet so that he could surprise-Carla.

Peter then wrapped-his arms around Carla's stomach from behind and then lovingly kissed-her on the cheek. "Mmm." Carla sighed with content. "I'd know those lips anywhere." She said before she then spun-herself-around-in Peter's arms so that she was now facing-him as she then wrapped-her arms around the back-of his neck. "Hello Baby." She then greeted-him with before they then passionately-kissed each-other, allowing one-another's tongue's to explore each-others mouths.

"Eurgh! Get a room you two!" Michelle joked as the rest-of the girl then laughed-along with her.

Carla then pulled-away from Peter's kiss with a giggle. "Sorry. I couldn't help-it." She told the girls, but she barely-took her eyes away from Peter's as she did-so.

"Mind-if I steal her away for a second then girls?!" Peter then asked them-all with a cheeky-smile.

"Oh you go ahead Mate. She hasn't shut-up about ya all-day!" Michelle told Peter cheekily as she teased-the obviously loved-up couple.

* * *

"Hows your day been then Baby?!" Carla then asked-Peter as they walked-away from the bunch of rowdy but friendly and laughing girls together...

"Okay I Guess...I mean, I've stayed-of trouble. There have been absolutely-no-fights whatsoever on my part, and no detentions or fall-outs with teachers either! But I hate Thursday's though. - It's the only day when I have absolutely no-lessons with you." Peter replied-to her sweetly.

"Awww well, well-done then Baby. I'm proud-of you! And Awww, been missing-me have-ya?!" Carla then asked-him in an extremely-cute way...

"Well I guess I have yeah...Why?! Haven't you been missing-me?!" Peter cheekily-questioned-Carla.

"Ewww no I could never miss-you!" Carla then joked-with Peter as he then shot-her a mock-offended-look. "Awww Baby I was only-joking. I've missed your warm and fit body to snuggle-up to!" She told-him flirtatiously as she then wrapped-her arms tightly around his torso. "Hmmm, how do ya make your school-jumper so soft?!" She asked-as Peter then put his arm around her shoulder and cuddled-her-in towards-him.

"I dunno...Ask Linda...She does all of the washing..." Peter trailed-off innocently, making Carla smile, she loved his innocence at times, it didn't come-out very-often, but when it did, Carla found-it dead-sweet.

"You're so cute. Dya know that Baby?!" Carla then flirted with him.

"Ssh not-here. The Year 7's might hear-ya!" Peter replied, wanting to keep-up his _'bad-boy' _image and reputation around-school. They continued to walk-together.

"Hey! You were Year 7 once may I remind-ya?!" Carla then told Peter, becoming defensive of the Year 7's now, her little-brother Rob, was only Year 8 himself...

"Yeah but I was cooler than this lot...They're a bunch of nerds..." Peter told Carla before he then glared-at a passing Year 7, who gave a scared-look-in reply and then ran-off. "See...They're scared-of me." Peter then said, obviously proud-of himself as they then carried-on walking through the rather large-playground together.

"You can be such a bully sometimes Peter Barlow!" Carla cheekily-told-him-off before she then stopped-him-in his tracks by standing-directly infront-of him, placing his hands onto her waist as then wrapped-her own arms around the back-of his neck. "It's a shame really...They're a bit young for me to tell-them what a softie you were in the bedroom last-night." Carla then told Peter cheekily, pecking him on the lips, before she then ran-off, making-him chase after her, chuckling-away as they did-so.

Peter had soon caught-up with her and had picked-her-up and then lifted-her onto his shoulders, so that she was now sat-on them. "Oh My Gosh Peter. PUT ME DOWN NOW!" She then screamed as he held-her legs before he then ran-across the playground with her as fast-as he could. Carla leaned-over Peter's head, and then wrapped-her arms around Peter's chest as she did-so, holding-on for dear-life as he ran with her on-top of his shoulders!

* * *

"Oh Man, you're such a child!" Carla told-him amidst all of the giggling that was taking-place between-the both-of them as Peter then safely brought-her back-down to her feet.

"Are you okay?!" A concerned Peter then asked, suddenly noticing that Carla had gone as white as a sheet.

"Yeah I just feel a bit dizzy that's all...And maybe a little-bit sick too..." Carla said before she then ran as fast as she possibly could towards the nearest-bin, but she didn't quite make-it there before she was then sick-everywhere.

Peter held-her hair back for her as she was sick, before he then began to softly stroke her back in soothing circular-motions. "It's okay Baby. I've got-ya." He said as Carla then stood-herself-back-up straight-again as Peter then pulled-her into a close-hug. "I'm sorry Baby that was probably my-fault." Peter apologised as Carla then allowed Peter to just hold-her closely for a while as she then rested-her head against his warm-chest, his heartbeat soothing-her as she did-so.

"No Baby. I've been feeling a little-off all day if I'm honest...Don't blame yourself for this..." Carla then trailed-off.

"Do ya want-me to walk-ya home?!" Peter then suggested-to her kindly.

"No I just want a cuddle that's all." Carla told Peter both softly and tearfully as Peter then lead-her over to a nearby bench.

They sat-themselves-down onto the bench-together, and Peter held-his-arms out for Carla, which she practically fell-into. "Come-Here Then Baby." He told-her softly as he continued to hold-her closely for-a little-while-longer...

* * *

After around 5 Minutes, Mrs Austin then approached-them both, concerned for Carla as she still didn't look-so well.

"Are you okay Carla?!" She then asked-the-young-teenage-girl worriedly.

"I feel sick." She confided-in Mrs Austin tearfully as Peter then continued to hold-her closely against his chest.

"Then you should go-home Carla. You can go back to mine if ya like?! Both of you. Peter's got a house-key." Mrs Austin then suggested-to Carla kindly.

"No I don't think that I could manage-to walk-home just-yet. I just wanna stay-here for a little-bit longer." Carla then told them both truthfully.

"Alright...Well Lunchtime is almost-over, so if you do want to go-home, then I would-do-it before next-lesson. You've got me Carla, so that would be just-fine, but Peter wouldn't be able to get-out of his lesson. Not with his track-record for skiving." Mrs Austin informed-Carla, chuckling slightly as Peter's '_bad-boy' _image/reputation amongst teachers all-around the school. He was anything but a _'bad-boy' _these-days...Just a little-bit troubled from time-to-time.

"Okay...Peter can we try to walk-back-to yours now then?!" Carla then asked Peter softly, who nodded-in agreement.

"Zach's at-home. He'll take care-of ya both. Cya-Later." Mrs Austin then told both Peter & Carla, waving them both goodbye as they then stood-themselves-off and began to walk-back-home in each-other's arms.

"See..." Carla began as they walked-home together. "I told-ya that you were soft really!" She then told-him cheekily, but tiredly at the same-time as she walked with Peter's support.

"It's only because I Love Ya, Carla." Peter replied as he then planted-one-of the most softest kisses into Carla's hair. – Carla then smiled-as she felt-him do this.

"Whatever Peter..." She whispered-in reply, giggling-at how soft he could actually-be sometimes...When he tried hard-enough...

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_**Please-Review!**_

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_I thought I'd do a bit of a fluffy chapter. – Just because the next few-chapters might not be so cute & fluffy for all-concerned, but especially for Carla & Peter!_


	18. What do you guys think?

**Hey Guys, **

**So I kind-of abandoned this fic, purely because I had ran-out of ideas for it!**

**However, I have really been missing it, as I love writing about a younger Carla & Peter. So I was thinking, how would you guys feel if I was to move the story forward by a couple of months, started to think of some new & fresh ideas and then continue this fic again from there?! **

**Here are some of the ideas that I have had for it...**

_** - I would love to tackle a pregnancy storyline. - I have never completed-one before simply because it's hard work to write what is essentially a 9 Month storyline, even if you skip week & months within the fic. - But some of you guys have done it really well, so I could use your help with it if I was to do it. **_

_**- Peter's problem with drugs would defo make a re-appearance. **_

_** - More drama with the Austin's and maybe with the Donovan's aswell?! **_

_** - Maybe bring the Connor Clan into the story?! **_

_** - Start to explore Carla's home life?! **_

**I would love to know what you think guys, so please, please, please review or I will just leave this fic as it is. Also, if you have any ideas of your own that you would like to see in this fic then let me know those ideas too and I will try my best to include them at some point. (: **

**Cheers Guys. x**


	19. Chapter 19

_**Thank You so much for all of your support from my last post guys. It really means a lot! So here's the next chapter! (Finally!)**_

_**I have decided-on a happy chapter to get things going again, and then all of the drama can start to creep-in bit by bit. (:**_

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3 Months had now passed-by, and things were going extremely well for Carla & Peter, who were both-now 16 Years of Age. Peter still had his problems, but with Carla by his side all the way, the young lad knew that he could get through just about anything. He had also now formed a really-close bond with the Austin's, Linda & Zach, who were now his full-time foster carers. It was the Easter Holiday's, and Carla & Peter had gone to visit a nearby Monkey Land.

Carla giggled-away as the minute that they had been dropped-off their by Linda & Zach, Peter had turned-into a little-kid all-over again. He was super excitable and Carla was struggling-to calm-him down as she chuckled-at him prancing around the place like a lunatic.

"Have fun then you two." Linda told-the two-of-them.

"No bringing a Monkey Home though Peter!" Zach joked-with them both before they then wandered-off to go and explore the place.

They were just exploring the various-different types of Monkey's, when suddenly Peter burst out into fits of laughter. "LOOK!" He shouted happily.

"What?! What's so funny?!" Carla asked-in reply, laughing-as she watched Peter in total-hysterics.

"That monkey just….." But Peter couldn't control his laughter.

"He just what?!"Carla asked with a cheeky-smile.

"He stepped-on his banana and now he's trying to get it off-of his foot…..HAH HAH!" Peter continued-to giggle.

"You. Peter Barlow. Are absolutely crackers!" Carla said as they continued to stand-by the very-same Monkey cage and allowed Peter to be fascinated by this one-Monkey in particular. Carla stood just behind-him and wrapped her arms around his stomach and then rested her chin onto his shoulder.

"I love it when you're this happy." She told-him sweetly.

"Do ya?!" He asked-her softly as his giggles began to calm-down a little-bit.

"Yeah I do. I wish you could be this relaxed at school. Ya know ya might get along with people a bit better if you were as kind-to them as you are to Me & Linda & Zach….." Carla told-him gently as he turned-around to face-her in her arms.

"But you love-me just the way I am right?!" Peter asked-her with a cheeky-smirk.

"Of-Course I Do. I'm not saying that you have to turn into some kind-of geek. Your bad-boy image can be quite attractive ya know?!" She flirted with her boyfriend.

"Oh can it really?!" He flirted-back-in reply.

"Yeah it can-be. Just the thought that you could steal one of these Monkey's' to take home with us is making-me love ya just that little-bit more!" Carla joked as they kissed-each-other softly on the lips.

"I would never steal a Monkey!" Peter said loudly, pretending-to be out-raged and shocked-at Carla's comment before chuckling just ever-so slightly.

"Sshhh. You'll make-us sound suspicious!" Carla teased-him gently.

"I think we looked suspicious from the minute we walked-in here Babes….." Peter told-he jokingly, but truthfully. Both Carla & Peter had this habit of appearing as if they were upto mischief, when infact they were acting completely innocently about everything.

"That's true…..So…..Wanna go steal some monkey's then?!" Carla sarcastically suggested-to Peter.

"Let's Go!" He joked with her happily, causing her to laugh-at him as he then ran-over to the next Monkey-Cage along which seemed-to be different types of Monkey's compared to the last-cage that they had seen.

* * *

Over-at the Austin's, Linda had decided to speak-to Zach about something that had been bothering-her some-time now. "Zach, how would you feel if I was to leave Weatherfield High?!" The concerned teacher asked her Husband.

"Well, I'd respect your decision of-course; I'm not sure how Peter would feel about this though Love….." Zach warned-her.

"Zach, I want to do this FOR Peter…..He needs to learn to spread his wings and fly at some-point…..Because I'm not always gonna be there to defend-him and to keep-him out of trouble….." Linda trailed-off nervously.

"Will it not just throw him completely off the rails again though?!" Zach asked-her worriedly.

"It might well do…..But he's got Carla there at school with him now…..I think he'd be fine…..Infact, I'm sure that he would-be….." She replied-to Zach, trying-to feel confident with her decision infront of her decision, but the reality-of it was, was that she was anything BUT confident about this tough-decision.

"Don't rush into any decisions Love, why don't ya start to back-away from Peter, just when you're at school, in teacher-mode, for a bit. See how he copes when it's just Carla there in class with him. You can still be there for him when you're here at home, but if you want-to leave Weatherfield High, then we need to see how Peter would cope without the teacher that has essentially saved his life….." He told-her truthfully and she nodded-in agreement.

"Yeah. I think that would be a great idea. Thank-You Zach." She said, rather emotionally as she hugged her Husband of many years tightly.

* * *

Back-at the Monkey Land, Peter & Carla were now sat-in the outdoor café, eating some lunch together. It was now a little later-on in the afternoon as they had been so busy excitably watching all of the different-types of Monkey's! As Peter dug into his Pastie, Carla observed-him in total admiration of her boyfriend. Peter took his attention away from the Pastie and caught Carla's eye for just a couple-of seconds before speaking-to her. "What are you looking at?!" Peter asked-her curiously.

"You. And your pretty face." Carla replied cheekily and Peter just chuckled-at her.

"Pretty?! I'm a lot of things Babe, but I am NOT pretty." He joked with her.

"Yeah you are. Have ya looked-in the mirror lately?! You're flippin' gorgeous Barlow!" She sweetly complimented-him.

"You won't convince me and you know that." Peter replied.

"Oh Yeah?! Well maybe I should convince-ya, because you need-to start believing-in yourself. It's a bit crazy really isn't it?! You would kill anyone who insulted those monkey's out-there, but if I insulted-you, then you'd probably agree with me." Carla told-him truthfully, desperate for Peter to have some confidence in himself.

"And I would have every right to agree with you, because the insult would be true. There's not much good about me, Carla….." Peter trailed-off before he began digging-into his Pastie again.

"Oy You! Stop that!" Carla playfully told-him-off.

"Stop what?!" Peter asked-his girlfriend innocently.

"Stop putting-yourself down so-much!" Carla said as she stood-up and then walked-over to Peter, who stood-up infront of her as he swallowed the last-bite of his Pastie. She rested her hands onto his shoulders and then looked-Peter directly into the eyes. "Look-at me and say something good about yourself." She ordered-him.

"Okay Okay Okay…..So…..I have a beautiful….." Peter paused for effect. "Girlfriend….." He sarcastically finished-with.

"Hey that's cheating!" She replied, cheekily squeezing his shoulder as she did-so.

"No it is not!" He playfully argued-back as he began to tickle Carla's sides. She giggled-loudly.

"Stop-It! Peter Stop-It!" She jokingly cried-out, mid-giggle.

Peter then pulled-Carla-in for a kiss, and kissed her passionately on the lips.

"Mmm." Carla let-out whilst kissing her gorgeous boyfriend before smiling-at him as the kiss came-to a slow-end. They hugged each—other closely for a while before going-to pay for their meal.

* * *

A couple-of days later, Carla was meeting-up with her best-friend, Michelle, meaning that Peter had the day to spend with Zach & Linda.

"Heya Babe." Michelle greeted Carla with as the two-friend hugged each-other tightly.

"Hiya 'Chelle. Managed-to escape from your brothers then?!" Carla asked. She had not yet met Michelle's brothers, but she had certainly heard a lot about-them from 'Chelle.

"Oh ya mean Paul & Liam?! Oh Carla, they've been at each-others' throats all morning. Honestly! It's almost unbearable!" The young-girl told her friend happily.

"Anyway, ya said on the phone that ya wanted to ask-me something?!" Carla asked-her friend, getting-to the point.

"Oh Yeah…..Well, my parents are going-away for the Weekend, which means, that Me, Paul & Liam will have the house to ourselves. But anyway, Paul is 18 so he's gonna buy us some alcohol, and we're gonna have a party, so I was just wondering-if you and Peter wanted to come?! Ya know, just to have a little-bit of fun before going-back-to school?!" Michelle invited Carla.

"Awww that sounds great 'Chelle! I'll ask Peter and then let-ya know! Are ya sure that you're not gonna get yourself into trouble though?!" A concerned Carla questioned her very best-friend.

"No of-course we won't! We've done-it before and the parents didn't suspect a thing!"

"Right…..Well okay then…..I just need to check with Peter though….."

* * *

Later-on that day, Carla knocked-on the front-door of the Austin's House, and was let-in by Linda. She walked-on through to the living-room where Peter was sat watching some TV with Zach. "Hiya Baby." She greeted-him with.

"Hey You. I didn't expect you to be here this-evening?!" He replied with a small-smile, a little distracted from where he was watching the Television.

Carla sat-herself down next-to her boyfriend on the sofa and then put her arms around his shoulders. "Listen, I just popped-around to ask-ya if ya wanted-to come-to a party with me this weekend. It's at Michelle's." She explained.

"Yeah sure. As long as that's alright with you two?!…..Zach, Linda?!" He asked calmly.

"Of-Course it is Peter." Zach re-assured him with a smile.

"Urm, yeah sure." Linda told-him, also with a smile.

"That's Great!" Carla replied-to them both happily. "Hey Michelle's got two brothers aswell, Paul & Liam. Paul is 18 and Liam is 16, our age. So maybe you'll make friends with them?!" She suggested happily to her boyfriend. "Aye I've gotta warn-ya though. They're a bit rich that family! So no stealing anything!" Carla joked with Peter.

"Hey I'm not interested-in that antique rubbish that those Poshies seem to own!" Peter said as Carla chuckled-at him, playfully slapping-him on the arm as she did-so.

"Anyway Baby, I've gotta go. Me Mam's not very well and Dad's out on a business trip." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Oh, send-her our love won't ya Carla?!" A concerned Mrs Austin said.

"Oh it's only a cold or something! Nothing serious!" Carla shrugged-it off with a small-laugh before turning her attention back-to Peter. "I'll cya tomorrow Baby. I love-ya." She said before kissing him on the lips and then heading-home.

"Yeah you too Babes. Bye." Peter replied.

* * *

_**Please-Review!**_

* * *

_**I hope you enjoyed that returning chapter, plenty more to come with this story now so please stick with it!**_

* * *

_**Still to come: **_

_Michelle's house-party goes ahead, but could alcohol leave certain characters with massive regrets?! _

_As the end-of the Easter Holiday's arrives, and everyone goes back-to school; how will Peter cope-as Mrs Austin begins to back-off a bit, ready for when she tells him that she is leaving Weatherfield High?!_

_**In Future Chapters: **_

_What's going-on with Carla's Parents?! _

_Peter begins to struggle, but will he confide in Carla?! _

_The arrival of the Connor's into Carla's life causes trouble! _


	20. Chapter 20

_**Only 1 Review for the last chapter guys! Some more for this one would be greatly appreciated. I had a great response when I posted saying I wanted to continue with this fic again, and that's what made decide to do another chapter, so please keep-reviewing guys, as it helps me to know that you're still interested-in this fic! Thanks Everyone. **_

The weekend arrived-fairly quickly, and it was soon-time for Michelle's Saturday Night House Party. Peter & Carla had both dressed-up fairly smartly, Carla in a dress and Peter in a shirt and some dark jeans as he approached the front-door of Carla's House.

Rob answered the door. "Heya Rob, is Carla ready?!" He asked the younger kid with a small-smile on his face.

"Yeah I think-so. Just a sec." Rob replied before he then turned-around and ran-to the bottom of the stairs.

"CARLA! Are ya ready yet?! Peter's 'ere!" He shouted-up to her.

"Coming!" Came a muffled-voice from up the stairs, which was followed a couple-of seconds by Carla appearing-at the top of the stairs, bare-foot as she was carrying her high-heels in her hands so she could get down the stairs safely.

She ran-down the stairs happily and then hugged Peter tightly, giving-him a peck-on the lips as she did-so.

"You look amazing!" Peter told-her with a wide-smile as he checked-her-over, in pure-awe of his girlfriend.

"Oh yeah well you don't look-too bad yourself Barlow!" Carla flirted with him.

"Yeah, yeah whatever Carla…..Hows your Mum anyway?!" Peter asked, remembering that Carla had mentioned that her Mother was not very-well at the moment.

"My Mum?! Urm…..She's okay I guess….." Carla trailed-off; although Peter sensed that she was trying-to hide something for Rob's sake….."Anyway, come-on, let's get going. I'll cya later Robby!" She said happily, kissing her little-brother on the cheek before she then headed-out with Peter as Rob shut-the-door behind-them.

"So baby, are you gonna be alright tonight?!" A concerned Carla asked Peter worriedly as they walked-along the pathway together.

"Carla, I'm an ex-drug-addict, not an alcky!" Peter told her with a light-chuckle.

"I know that Baby. But I just don't want ya to feel-uncomfortable that's all." Carla told Peter truthfully.

"Car, I'll be fine. I'm promise." Peter sweetly-re-assured her.

Later-on that evening at the party, Paul & Liam had arrived-home and Michelle ran-over to Carla & Peter, who were still sober, unlike some others, to introduce her best-friend and Peter to her two-brothers.

"Paul, Liam, this is Carla, my best-friend. Carla…..Meet-my two-brothers, Paul& Liam." Michelle introduced them all excitably.

"Nice to meet yer both." Carla told-them both happily.

"You too Babe, so who's yer fella then?!" Paul asked, noticing Peter nervously-loitering about-in the background.

"Oh, this is Peter." Carla happily introduced-him to the two-brothers.

"Alright?!" Peter said, unsure of how-to act around the two-blokes. They were a bit rich and posh-looking for Peter's liking…..

Peter & Carla then wandered-off to go and grab a drink or two-each. Liam turned-to Michelle. "'Chelle ya didn't tell-me that yer best-mate was so stunning!" He said, in awe of the beautiful girl that he had just been introduced-too as he watched-her walk-off with Peter.

"Hey! Stop staring-you! She's taken!" Michelle warned-her brother.

"Yeah, taken by that cheap kid…..Look, he's wearing those tacky trainers with a smart-shirt….." Paul commented quite harshly considering that he knew absolutely nothing about-Peter.

"Oy you two! Leave-it out will ya?!" She told them both firmly, she may not have known Peter all that well just yet, but she knew that Carla loved-him to pieces, so she was happy to leave-it at that just for now. Whatever Peter's personal-problems were, were absolutely none-of their business.

"Sorry 'Chelle but Paul's right. A fit girl like that doesn't deserve to be with a fella like him, and besides, ain't he the druggie?!" Liam asked quietly.

"EX-Druggie! But anyway, this is supposed-to be a party! So let's go do some partying. Alright?!" Michelle told-them both in a rather-stern-way before walking-off away from her two rather-irritating brothers'.

The Connor's were one-of the richest families around Weatherfield, and Paul & Liam had picked-up on their status, but Michelle wasn't so keen-on it. She just wanted-to be a normal-girl having some-fun.

A couple-of hours had passed-by now and it was safe-to say that everyone was quite drunk-by now. Everyone, including Carla & Peter, who had been all-over each-other all-evening…..

"I Love You." Peter slurred as he stood-in the garden with Carla, with his arms wrapped-around her waist as he did-so.

"Awww I Love You Too." Carla said back with a drunken-giggle, she was just that little-bit-more sober than Peter was, but she wasn't all that much better. They then passionately kissed-each-other on the lips.

"Think anyonesss s'upstairs?!" A drunken Peter asked Carla.

"Nooo why?!" Carla tipsily giggled but before she could say anything further, Peter had crashed-his own lips into her own.

"That's why." Peter replied. "Come-on. Let's go." He chuckled, the alcohol having an effect on his conscience as they headed-inside and then snuck upstairs before any of the Connor's, or anyone-else at the party could spot-them…..

Early, the next-morning, everyone had stayed-at Michelle's after the party last-night. Peter and Carla awoke in the double-bedroom together, both feeling a little-bit hungover from the events of the party.

Peter was still-asleep when Carla woke-up. She had a bit of a shock when she realised that they were infact in Michelle's Mother & father's bed! "Peter!" She loudly whispered, shaking-him awake. "Peter!" She said again as he began to stir.

"What?!" He asked-tiredly.

"We've gotta get-out of this bed!" She replied-in a panic.

"Whaaattt?! Why?!" He asked, still not-quite with-it.

"Because it's Michelle's Mum & Dad's bed you idiot!" Carla snapped-at him, but still trying-to remain quiet so that nobody heard-them.

"Alright, Carla, just calm-down okay?! We'll just tidy-up; find our clothes and then get-going….." Peter tried-to re-assure her gently.

"Yeah let's do that." Carla said.

They got themselves dressed, snuck-down the stairs together, and somehow managed-to get themselves into the living-room, where everyone-else was sound-asleep, without anyone spotting-them. Suddenly, Carla stopped and wobbled-around a little-bit on her feet.

"Woah, Car are you okay?!" A concerned Peter asked-her as he helped-her to re-gain her balance.

"Yeah I'm fine….." She replied as they continued to walk through the living-room and then on-through to the kitchen.

She stopped-again a couple-of seconds later, before she suddenly ran as quickly as she could-to the kitchen-sink, and then promptly threw-up everywhere…..

"Carla?!" Peter worriedly walked-up behind-her and then moved-her hair out-of the way for her.

After she had finished being-sick, Carla turned-around to face Peter with tears in her eyes and hugged-him tightly.

"I'm sorry." She cried as she felt like complete and utter rubbish, but she wasn't going-to tell Peter what she thought-it might-be…..

"Why are ya sorry?!" He asked-her worriedly, the poor young-lad was clueless…..

"No-Reason….." Carla replied tearfully.

"Well there must-be a reason Babes….." Peter trailed-off, concerned for his girlfriend.

"Peter, can ya do me a favour, can you take my stuff home for me please?! I want-to talk-to 'Chelle….." Carla asked-him tearfully as he wiped-away the final few tears from her face…..

The day went-on and Peter had now disappeared-as Carla & Michelle walked-through the Local-Park together, Carla hadn't revealed anything to Michelle yet, but she could tell that something was up with her best-mate by the weird way in-which she was acting.

"Michelle…..If I tell ya something, can-ya promise that you won't tell ANYONE?!…..Not-even your brothers!…..Or your parents!…..And especially not Peter!….." Carla began nervously.

"What's-Up Carla?!" Michelle asked-her, concerned for her very best-friend who was looking a little-pale this-morning.

"I think…..And I'm not 100% sure yet…..But well…..Things got a little-heated between Me & Peter at the party last-night and well….." Carla dragged-on.

"Carla just tell-me." Michelle told-her softly.

"I think I might be pregnant….." Carla blurted-out before promptly bursting-into floods-of tears, collapsing into Michelle's arms as she did-so.

"Ohhh Carla….." Michelle trailed-off sympathetically as she held-her best-friend closely. "Was it a drunken-mistake then?!" She asked-her.

"Yeah I guess-so…..I mean we didn't use any…..You know what's….." Carla cried-to her.

"Oh Babes…..So what are ya gonna-do?!" Michelle asked-her worriedly.

"I Dunno…..Get-rid of it?!"

"Have ya thought about keeping-it?!"

"No!" Carla snapped.

"Well why not Car?! You and Peter are pretty-solid aren't ya?! And I'm guessing that he's the Father?!..." Michelle double-checked.

"Yeah he is. But he can't know about this 'Chelle! He can never know about-this!" She panicked.

"But Carla….."

"NO Michelle!" Carla interrupted-her. "Peter has enough problems of his own! He does NOT need this! Not NOW! I mean, we haven't even talked-about kids or anything like that before…..He'll kick-off I know he will….."

"But Carla, even-if you have an abortion, if Peter finds-out that you lied to him, then that will send-him off the rails anyway! And I dunno about you Car, but I'd rather hurt-him with the truth….." Michelle tried-to advise her young-best-friend.

"Will you come with me?!" A tearful Carla asked Michelle.

"To do what?!"

"Tell Peter….."

"Oh Carla…..Ya know I'm always here for ya. Ya know that I am. But this is something that you need-to do by yourself Babes….."

Later-on that evening, Peter was over-at Carla's, as Carla wanted-to be at home for her Mother, who was still poorly. They were sat-in Carla's bedroom together. Peter was sat at her desk on her laptop, when Carla, who was now sat-on her bed, suddenly spoke-up. "Baby, can-ya come-here a second please?!" She softly requested-to him, nervous as to the news that was about-come-out of her mouth.

"What's-Up Car?!" Peter asked-her sweetly as he moved-over to the bed and joined-her, sat in the corner of it…..

"Are you happy with me?!" Carla began with a simple-question.

"Babes, of-course I am." He re-assured-her gently with a sweet-smile as he did-so.

"And ya know, that I'll be here for-ya, no-matter what, don't ya?!" She asked-him nervously.

"Baby, what is it?!" Peter asked, realising that Carla was working-up to telling-him something.

"Promise that ya won't do anything stupid when I tell-ya?!" Carla asked-her worriedly.

"Baby just-tell-me." Peter said softly.

"Peter I'm…..I'm pregnant….."

_**Please-Review!**_

_**Sorry if that chapter dragged-on a little-bit, but I hope-it was worth-it for the end! **_

_**So, how will Peter react to Carla's news?! **_

_**And as school starts again after the Easter Holiday's, how will Peter cope with the added-pressures?! **_


	21. Chapter 21

_**Firstly, I must apologise for the slight mistake with the whole Carla finding out she was pregnant so quickly thing. Thank You to those who pointed-out the mistake. This is my very first pregnancy storyline, so if there are mistakes that I make, (which I will try to avoid) please make sure that you let me know. (In a nicely put way. ;)) As it will help me with any future pregnancy storylines that I may decide to do in any of other my fics. **_

_**Secondly, thank-you for all of your kind reviews, they really do mean the world to me. **_

_**And lastly, not so much of the Connor's in this chapter, but they will come back. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (: **_

"You're what?!" Peter asked, although he had heard Carla perfectly well the first-time around.

"I'm Pregnant Peter." Carla repeated-herself.

Peter remained silent and seemed-to have frozen as he just looked-directly at Carla's belly. Carla looked-back-at him.

"Peter say something." A worried Carla said after a couple-of seconds.

"What…..I mean…..How…..When?!" Peter asked, his eyes still fixated-firmly-onto Carla's belly as he finally spoke.

"I don't think I need to answer that one Baby." Carla giggled as she tried-to take Peter's hand, but he snatched-it away almost immediately.

"Get-Off Me!" He said, not quite shouting but raising his voice by a considerable-amount.

"Peter….." Carla trailed-off; her main worry when she had spoken-to Michelle was about getting this kind-of reaction from Peter. "Baby I know it's a shock, but we can get through this can't we?! I mean, we've been through a lot-worse right?!"

Peter sighed. "We'll get rid-of it and then maybe we can get over-this stupid mistake….."

"Peter. Don't call our Baby a mistake!" Carla said, a little angrily.

"Well that's what it is, isn't it?! And I don't know about you, but I like to put mistakes behind-me, and the only way we can put this behind-us is if you get rid of that thing growing-in your belly." Peter told-her rather coldly.

Carla paused for couple-of seconds in pure-shock.

"What if I want to keep-it?!" She asked, a little-nervously.

"Then the kid will need another Father…..I'm not bringing-up a kid Car! I can't do it! I just can't!" Peter said before he then rushed-out-of the room and out-of the house before Carla could even get another word-out.

Peter then headed-back-home-to the Austin's, he had decided-to go straight-home. Right-now, there was nothing Peter wanted more than to get-himself some drugs, but he was battling with his own thoughts and emotions to stop himself from going back there.

He opened-the front-door with his key and headed-straight-upstairs and into his bedroom, where he slammed the door shut behind-him.

"Peter?!" Linda asked, a little-confused as she saw someone rush-up the stairs, which she had assumed was Peter considering that Zach was currently washing-their dinner-dishes-up in the kitchen. She then walked-on through to the kitchen to speak-to Zach.

"Zach, wasn't Peter meant-to be staying-at Carla's tonight?!" A confused Linda asked-her Husband.

"Yeah I think he was….." Zach trailed-off in reply.

"Well he's just come-home and has gone straight-up to his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind-him….." The Lady explained as Zach sighed worriedly.

"Oh Dear, that doesn't sound-good. Dya want-me to go and chat-to him?!" Zach asked Linda, having struck-up a good-relationship with the troubled 16 Year-Old Young-Lad recently.

"If you would darling." Linda replied gratefully, gently stroking Zach's arm in appreciation for his kindness towards Peter.

Over-at Carla's, Rob had spotted Peter rushing-out of their house, so he headed-upstairs to go and see his older-Sister.

"Car?!"He asked quietly as he poked his little-head around her bedroom-door. It was then that he spotted-his big-sister crying her eyes out in the corner-of her bed, as she was curled-up into a little-ball. "Sis what's wrong?!" Her asked-her, extremely-innocently, but worriedly as he walked-over to his Older-Sister and sat-himself-down next-to her on the bed.

"Oh Rob, it's nothing that you need-to worry-about." Carla said, knowing that Rob would blab to their parents if she told-him everything.

"Why did Peter leave so quickly?!" He asked-her quietly.

"We had a bit of an argument that's all." She replied truthfully.

"Are you gonna break-up?!" He gently-questioned-her.

"I hope not." She said tearfully.

"Well he's an idiot." Rob said quite firmly.

"Hey no he's not. He had every-right to be angry with me." Carla replied.

"No he didn't! No matter what you've done!"

"Well yeah, you're right, but still. He's not an idiot. And I still love-him Rob, and Peter still loves-me…..Things are just difficult at the moment…..That's all….."

Back-at the Austin's, Zach had just knocked-on the door of Peter's bedroom-door, which was firmly-shut.

"Peter Mate, it's Zach. Can I come-in?!" Zach called-through the door, and when he got absolutely no-response whatsoever, he carefully and slowly pushed the door-open. Peter was led on his back on his bed, chucking a tennis-ball up and down quite aggressively.

"Get-Lost." Peter replied angrily.

"Sorry Pal. No can do." Zach replied, as calmly as ever.

"Do ya want this tennis-ball in your face?!" Peter snapped-back aggressively as he suddenly sat-up from his bed and holding the tennis-ball up, threatening Zach with it as he did-so.

"I just wanna chat with ya Mate….." Zach trailed-off worriedly.

Peter then stood-up and walked-over to Zach. "I thought I told-ya to get lost!" Peter told-him furiously.

"No. I won't." Zach simply told-him, still remaining-calm with Peter for-now.

But it was then that Peter completely flipped, he grabbed Zach by his shirt and yanked-him forwards.

"This is your last-chance Zach!" Peter warned-him aggressively, and it was then that Zach decided-to put-up a bit of a fight against Peter.

"Go On Then Pal! Hurt-Me! Beat-me up all ya want! But I'm telling-ya now Peter, that it's not gonna solve any of your problems, infact they are most-likely to just get 10 Times worse!" Zach shouted-at him.

Peter suddenly began to thump his fists against Zach's chest and as much as Zach tried-to restrain-him, he knew that maybe Peter just had to take-all of his frustrations out of him before he finally broke. And he did just that around 2 Minutes-Later, when the tears came flooding-out of Peter's eyes and he literally collapsed-into Zach's arms crying his eyes-out.

"Heyyy It's Alright Pal. It's Okay." Zach comforted-Peter softly.

He comforted-him for a few-more minutes before taking-Peter-back-over to his bed and sitting-him back-down again.

"What's up Peter?!" Zach asked-him both quietly and gently as he soothingly rubbed the poor-kid's back.

"It's Carla…..She's Pregnant…..With My Baby….." Peter cried.

"Oh Mate….." Zach replied, a little shocked, but not wanting to be angry with Peter right-now, as he wanted Peter to feel that he could talk-to him about these things and not close-up or go-off the rails again, as that seemed-to be the routine with Peter during most-of his life with them so-far.

"I stormed-out when she told-me…..I told-her to get rid of it, or to find-it another Father…..But I didn't mean a word I said Zach…..I mean…..I wanna be able to support Carla…..But what poor-kid would want me as their Dad?!" Peter opened-up to Zach truthfully.

"I guess Carla wants to keep-it then?!" Zach gently asked Peter.

"Yeah I think-so…..By what she told-me yeah….."

"Well for the record, I think you'd make a brilliant Father…..And there's no doubt that Carla would be a good-Mother….." Zach tried-to re-assure Peter, he knew that the couple may struggle with parent-hood at first, but if the young-couple could just put their differences and their troubled-lives aside then maybe having a kid could-be the making-of them both…..

The next-morning, both Carla & Peter were dreading going-to school. Zach had agreed with Peter that he wouldn't tell Linda until both of the young-couple were ready-to tell them, so that was one-less thing-on Peter's mind.

Peter walked-into registration, late, which he hadn't been recently, so Linda, or, Mrs Austin as she was at school was a little-concerned that he was falling-back-into his old-habits again. Carla was already-in her seat, along with the rest-of the class…..

Peter reluctantly went and took his seat next-to Carla. "Peter you're late?!" Mrs Austin spoke-up, her plan of distancing herself from Peter at school was not going-to work if Peter was about to go on a slippery-downhill slope off the rails again…..

"And?!" Peter chatted-back, not-in the best-of moods himself this morning.

Mrs Austin just sighed and then got-on with some marking as the rest-of the form continued-to chatter-away to one-another.

"Hey….." Carla trailed-off a little-awkwardly as she caught Peter's eye.

"Hey….." Peter replied, feeling a little guilty about last-night now having had a good-old chat with Zach afterwards, who had somehow managed-to calm-him down about the whole situation.

"I'm so sorry about-last-night." They both said together rather simultaneously.

Carla giggled. "Me-Too." She told Peter softy.

"No Car, you've got nothing-to be sorry for. I kicked-off when I shouldn't have done. And besides…..It does take two don't it like?!" He replied-to her a little-bit cheekily.

"Are ya saying that you're okay with it then?!" Carla asked-him a little-nervously with an excited but contained-smile.

"I can't answer that Carla…..But I don't want ya to get rid-of it…..After-all, I helped make whatever's growing-inside of you…..And I can't ever change-that now…..No-Matter how much I might want-to sometimes….." Peter trailed-off a little-sadly.

"I know that it's a bit scary Peter…..I'm just as scared as you are." Carla said as she anxiously took Peter's hand-into her own again, remembering his reaction to this movement last-night, but this time he accepted-it and smiled sweetly at Carla as she then gave his hand a gentle-little squeeze whilst she smiled-back-at him.

Later-on in the school day, Peter had a Maths lesson, which was the only subject that Peter was without Carla for. Peter had never gotten along with his Maths teacher, and on today of all days, Maths was the last thing Peter wanted right-now.

For Carla's sake, and for their relationship's sake, he had apologised and had made things up with Carla in registration this-morning. But he still wasn't 100% happy with this whole pregnancy thing. He sat-at the back-of the room in his Maths lesson, unable to concentrate on what the teacher was going-on about because he had so much on his mind.

Suddenly, the teacher picked-on Peter to answer a question. "Urm…..Sorry?!" Peter asked with a fed-up sigh.

The teacher repeated the question but Peter just couldn't think this-afternoon. "How am I sposed to know that?!" Peter replied with a confused look-on his face.

"You would know if you had been listening Peter. You've been on a different planet for the whole-lesson." The teacher told-him quite firmly.

"Yeah well maybe that's because I've got more on my mind than your stupid maths lesson." He replied a little-angrily.

"Don't back-chat me Peter!" The teacher told-him firmly.

"I'll back-chat whoever I flippin' like Mate!" Peter replied.

"I would calm-down if I were you, Mr Barlow, or you are going-to find yourself in a heck-of a lot of trouble." The teacher warned-Peter, not that he took any notice of this-warning as he was getting-himself all worked-up now.

"Do ya really think I give a damn?!" Peter said with a raised-voice as he raised-up from his seat.

"Sit-down Peter."

"No!"

"Peter, I won't tell you again."

"And I won't tell you again. Ah ya know what?! Get Lost Sir, just get-lost!" Peter finally lost his rag and then walked-out of the classroom…..

After-school, Mrs Austin was dropping both Carla & Peter back-to Carla's for the evening. Sat-in the car, Peter seemed-quiet and distant as the young but loved-up couple sat-in the back-of the car together.

"Are you okay Baby?!" A worried Carla asked.

"Yeah…..Why?!" Peter questioned-in reply.

"You're not still worrying about…..Well about you know what still are ya?!" She asked sensitively but quietly, trying-to cover their secret-up from Linda as she did-not yet know about Carla's pregnancy, but the Lady wasn't stupid, she knew that they were trying to hide something from her.

"What does 'you know what' mean exactly Carla?!" Linda then asked from the driver's seat as they were at a stand-still in the rush-hour traffic.

"Nothing….." Carla trailed-off and Peter just sighed.

"Just tell-her Carla, she's gonna find-out eventually anyway….." Peter replied.

"What?!" Linda asked.

"Urm, Linda, I'm pregnant with Peter's Baby….." Carla trailed-off nervously.

Linda took a deep-breath-in to contain what would have been her immediate reaction. "Oh." She finally said, trying to remain calm with the both of them. "And you're keeping-it I guess?!" She asked.

"Yeah…..Yeah I think we are….." Carla trailed-off.

"Okay…..Peter, Mister Smith told-me that you walked-out of his Maths Lesson today…..Is Carla's pregnancy the reason behind-that?!" Linda asked-him as Carla shot Peter a look-of concern, she thought they were past-this.

Peter shifted his eyes to Carla and back once-or-twice as he thought about whether to give a truthful answer or not, before he finally-sighed and gave-into the decision that he had made.

"Nah, he just winds me up, that's all….." Peter decided-to lie, but Carla could smell-it a mile off, but chose-not-to say anything just for now…..

"Right, because, I'm not always gonna be around to defend you Peter…..I've managed to talk him out of giving-you a detention this time-around….But there will a come a day when I won't be teaching there anymore….." Linda told both Peter & Carla, hinting-to them that she was thinking-about leaving Weatherfield High to retire…..

"What are ya saying Linda?!" Peter asked nervously, knowing where this was going and not liking the thought of continuing school without Mrs Austin being there to back-him-up 100% of the way…..

"I have decided that I want to leave Weatherfield High….." She finally revealed-to the both-of them.

Peter's heart sunk as he looked-down towards the floor-of the car. Things had been going-so well recently, and now, everything just seemed-to be crashing-down all together…..

Later-on that evening at Carla's. Peter was stood-in their front' garden smoking a fag. And to Carla's relief, it was just tobacco and nothing illegal, but it still worried-her. Peter might have said he was coping-alright…..But was he really?! Was he?!

Carla eventually joined-Peter outside and leaned-against the front-wall next-to him. "Oy You, where'd ya get those fags from?!" Carla asked-him softly.

"I bought them after I had walked-out of that Maths Lesson earlier-on….." Peter trailed-off quietly as he looked-out infront of him, refusing-to make eye-contact with Carla, who had noticed-this.

"Peter can I ask-ya something?!" She asked-him nervously.

"Of-Course ya can….." He replied as he continued-to smoke his cigarette…..

"Are you gonna be okay?!" She practically whispered-to him as she stroked his upper-arm ever-so gently.

"Yeah of-course I am…..I'm Peter Barlow, I can cope with anything-me….." He chuckled, brushing-off her comment as a kind-of joke.

"Peter. Seriously though. I'm worried. You walked-out of your Maths Lesson…..And it's been ages since you were in trouble-at school…..And then there's this….." Carla trailed-off, referring to the cigarette as she flicked-it out of Peter's hand and they both watched-it fall-to the floor and then burn-out on the concrete.

"Carla…..Stop worrying about-me okay?!" Peter tried-to re-assure his concerned girlfriend. "I'll be okay." He whispered-to her.

"Will ya though?!" Carla questioned-him.

"As-long as you're here….." Peter replied-to her, and that was true…..Kind-Of…..

_**Please-Review! **_

_**Will Peter cope?! **_


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